GAM not terrorist organization: Legislators
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Legislators and human rights activists lashed out at the government for branding the Aceh separatist rebels terrorists, saying the move would only be used to justify a large-scale military operation in the natural resource-rich province.
"The use of the word "terrorist" to describe GAM is out of proportion," said T. Syaiful Achmad, coordinator of the 12 Acehnese legislators, here on Friday. He was referring to the Free Aceh Movement, which has been fighting for an independent state since mid-1970.
Fellow legislator Ahmad Farhan Hamid suggested the government avoid the use of a "foreign phrase" because it could invite outside elements, including the United States and European Union, to meddle in the conflict.
Rights activist Munir wanted to know if the stigmatization of GAM was aimed at winning U.S. support for the Indonesian Military (TNI).
"This label is not going to solve the problems in Aceh, but rather will be used to justify a repressive military operation there," said Munir, who now heads the Impartial organization, which has as its aims the study of an equitable transition to democracy.
Munir claimed that the present government had no desire to learn from the nation's history, especially as regards Aceh.
Past rulers, from the Dutch colonial government to President Sukarno and President Soeharto, had all adopted iron-fisted military approaches to dealing with the Aceh problem, but to no avail.
Over 10,000 people, mostly civilians, have died in the conflict since 1976, including over 500 this year alone.
Munir said those facts should prompt the current government to evaluate its pro-military policies in Aceh.
In yet another hint that the government intends to crush GAM militarily, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday labeled the separatist group as a terrorist organization.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, the minister revealed he had asked the Aceh Military Command to take all necessary steps to deal with the terrorism in Aceh.
Aceh military commander Maj. Gen. Djali Yusuf has estimated the number of GAM members at about 1,700.
The Aceh legislators urged the government to clarify Susilo's statement. They suspected that Jakarta was only following in the footsteps of certain other countries without having a clear understanding of what was at stake.
The U.S. has branded the Al-Qaeda group in Afghanistan as terrorists, while in the Philippines President Gloria Arroyo has done the same in respect of the Abu Sayyaf rebel group. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has also branded Palestinian fighters terrorists.
"GAM is just a group of Acehnese who are struggling for independence," said Syaiful Achmad of the Reform faction.
He suggested that the government focus on armed civilians and force them to surrender their weapons.
Farhan Hamid, who chairs the Reform faction, regretted the government's moves, saying that currently the government and GAM should be bracing themselves for an all inclusive dialog as a follow-up to their peace talks in Geneva last May.
During the talks, the government and GAM agreed that Law No. 18/2001 on Aceh as a special autonomous province could be used as a starting point for resolving the Aceh problem.
The law allows Aceh to partially implement sharia and retain a much greater share of its oil and gas revenues.
But many say that whatever progress was made has been spoiled by military operations in the province.
According to Farhan, the latest developments only showed the public that there has been an internal struggle in the Indonesian Military (TNI) between the moderates and hard-liners.
Teuku Muhammad Nurlif of Golkar meanwhile suggested that the government set up a national commission to follow up on the results of the peace agreement reached in Geneva.
Munir added that instead of intensifying military operations, the government should bring human rights violators to trial as justice was all that most Acehnese people were seeking.