GAM intimidates the people

GAM intimidates the people

From Rakyat Merdeka

The government has adopted a new policy to settle the question
of Aceh. Psychologically, the Acehnese are still gripped with
fear.

When Aceh was still a military operation zone, the Acehnese,
despite the victims the conflict claimed, always openly sided
with the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia.

As our intelligence and territorial operations are weak, the
Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has successfully intimidated the
Acehnese and forced them to side with GAM. The Indonesian
Military and police have found the area a really foreign
territory with foreign people not siding with them.

In short, GAM has psychologically controlled most elements of
the Acehnese community. If this condition persists and the
Acehnese lose their trust in the central government, the question
of Aceh will become very difficult to settle.

The only way out is the government's firm stance, as can be
construed from the recent statement made by the coordinating
minister for political and security affairs. Of course dialog is
still necessary, but a deadline should be set. Indeed, dialog is
the most ethical way to solve the problem.

If possible, dialog should involve other social elements. If
dialog fails, then military law should be imposed as the last
resort.

WW D. COSTA

Ambon