GAM representatives flee attack, JSC told to request protection
The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh/Jakarta
The Joint Security Committee (JSC) has been urged to request police escorts for its members while they monitor the peace process in Aceh.
Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin told The Jakarta Post on Friday that such security, to be provided by the police, would end the current uncertainty regarding the protection of JSC members.
"The TNI cannot take up the job because it's one of the parties to the peace agreement, whereas the police cannot yet provide protection as they have not been requested to do so," Sjafrie said.
He was commenting on six JSC members representing the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) who had to flee their offices in the East Aceh town of Langsa on Thursday after a mob of hundreds of people surrounded them to demand the release of a civilian whom they said had been abducted by GAM.
The incident came just 10 days after a mob attacked another JSC office in Takengon, Central Aceh, ostensibly over what they called the committee's failure to maintain impartiality.
The two attacks raise doubts over how peace can be upheld in Aceh, which has seen a significant decrease in the number of violent incidents over the past three months.
Indonesia and GAM signed a landmark peace agreement which ended 26 years of bloodshed in the resource-rich province.
Sjafrie said the JSC could also call for a multinational force, although stringent conditions would be required for this.
The six GAM representatives on the JSC had to take refuge in the local TNI office, but then chose to return to their camp in Eastern Aceh, following the incident.
"They were looking for a safer place," senior JSC member representing GAM Teungku Sofyan Ibrahim Tiba said on Thursday.
Sofyan said that the attack happened following a report that GAM had taken a man hostage and was demanding a ransom of Rp 70 million (US$7,700).
He further said that GAM was investigating the case.
The JSC office in Langsa was left empty as of Friday following the attack.
Commenting on the incident, HDC representative in Aceh Mark Knight said that "both parties are responsible for their own security."
Many fear that the attacks against the JSC will finally undermine the demilitarization process in the province.
Should more attacks occur, this could crippled the monitoring process across the province and weaken the implementation of the deal, which was signed on Dec. 9 last year.
Meanwhile, TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto urged the JSC to design standard operating procedures to ensure the safety of its staff while carrying out their duties.
Underlining that there should be parties assigned to safeguard their presence in any particular area, Endriartono said the design would be pivotal to preventing such incidents from recurring.
"It will be impossible for the TNI or Indonesian police to protect GAM members of the JSC from such incidents as it would create suspicions, as if we were detaining them," he said.
He further suggested that the JSC propose certain procedures to ensure the safety of the committee's members.
Separately, visiting Thai armed forces commander Gen Surayud Chulanot expressed the hope that the peace process would continue despite the many flaws.
"We hope that the peace process in Aceh will continue and that the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement will continue to trust each other to implement the agreement," he said upon his departure from the Iskandar Muda airport in Banda Aceh on Friday, as quoted by Antara.
Thailand has 42 military officers assigned as part of the monitoring team in Aceh, with Maj.Gen. Tanongsuk Tuvinun being the chairman of the JSC.
"A smooth demilitarization process would reflect a smooth implementation of the peace pact," Surayud said.