GAM must release hostages

GAM must release hostages

From Suara Karya

The Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which recently released the hostages that had been holding for some time, can in no way be regarded as acting humanely in its "struggle" for a free Aceh.

According to the laws of war, belligerent parties must not abduct and take non-combatant civilians hostage. Any side holding civilians hostage is thus obliged to release them.

Therefore, if the supremacy of law is to be upheld and innocent people are to be protected, everyone concerned with humanitarianism and human rights should demand that GAM, which was responsible for the abductions and hostage-taking, be punished rather than only persuaded to end its violence.

It should be questioned why GAM, with its separatist and terrorist acts, is still regarded in some circles as heroic while the security forces, striving to protect people in Aceh, are seen as criminals.

It has been hinted that there are those who want a protracted conflict in Aceh so that the region will eventually break away from the Unitary Republic of Indonesia, which would mean the loss of the province's resources. Do these people come from foreign countries that actually want to endanger our sovereignty?

MOCH. YUDHA Banda Aceh