Government steps up pressure on GAM

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government has stepped up its military pressure on Aceh rebels, giving them until December to accept the special autonomy offer, a prerequisite for future dialogs, or face the full brunt of the military's might.

Announcing what he called a revised policy for Aceh here on Monday, Coordinating Minister for Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Monday that the government was giving the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) one last chance before it did "whatever it takes to ensure the state's unity."

"We hope that after the 2002 fasting month, GAM will have already made up its mind to accept the special autonomy offer and halt armed conflict," Susilo said after a Cabinet meeting.

The fasting month of Ramadhan will end on Dec. 5, followed by Idul Fitri festivities for Muslims.

"The government will intensify military operations if GAM fails to express a positive response to the autonomy offer," Susilo said.

Jakarta introduced on Jan. 1, 2001, a special autonomy status for Aceh, allowing it to retain up to 70 percent of its oil/gas revenue and implement shariah law in the Muslim stronghold.

GAM leaders had initially accepted the special autonomy offer as the sole basis for future dialogs but rejected it at the last round of peace talks in May in Geneva, Switzerland.

The government's December deadline echoed an earlier statement by Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, who gave GAM three months to accept autonomy and return to dialog.

Susilo emphasized that security operations in the restive province would be intensified to protect the people and revive local administrations.

"To ensure security, the government will crush the separatist movement, protect the people, secure the area and ensure the running of local government," he said.

Susilo said Presidential Instruction No. 1/2002 served as the legal basis for any future military operations in Aceh. The order deals with a comprehensive approach to Aceh province.

Meanwhile, a GAM field commander questioned on Monday the government's intention to revive dialog as Jakarta continued to set terms for peace talks.

"The Indonesian government should not feel the need to threaten GAM into accepting the autonomy law because that is not our aim. Our aim remains to gain independence," Amri told AFP.

The rebel official said GAM had never called for an end to peace talks and would continue to abide by previous agreements reached in Geneva.

"The Indonesians have always said that they will take firm action, but its soldiers in Aceh have already been hunting rebels day and night and have been detaining and abducting civilians who have nothing to do with GAM," he said.

GAM has been fighting for a separate state since 1976 due to its disappointment over what it has perceived to be economic injustice and the government's failure to fulfill promises to make the province special in terms of education, culture and religion.

Instead of addressing their resentment, the government had in the past deployed combat troops to quell the secessionist movement.

In 1988 then president Soeharto declared the province a military operation area, a status that ended only in 1998 when Soeharto's successor, B.J. Habibie, withdrew troops from the province and apologized to its people. Hundreds of innocent people were believed to have been killed during that period, with over one thousand still missing.

Acehnese leaders have demanded the prosecution of military personnel responsible for the killings and torture but the government has turned a deaf ear to their call.

Analysts said that the government should ensure law enforcement and justice for the perpetrators who had wrecked peaceful life in the province, to settle the separatist issue.

The government has also been warned that economic recovery and social rehabilitation will be the major factors for creating a peaceful situation in Aceh, and not another security approach.

However, the revised policy speaks so little on the two areas, with the government saying that the security condition is hampering development plans.

Minister of Regional Infrastructure and Resettlement Soenarno said that of this year's allocated budget of Rp 6.6 trillion (US$742million), only Rp 2.3 trillion had been disbursed.

"The vast operation against GAM has prevented us from continuing with development projects. To ensure they can resume we need the support of security officers," Soenarno said.

Government's seven-point policy on Aceh

1. The government will maintain a comprehensive approach on Aceh with a priority to:

- restore security by crushing the separatist movement, protecting the people, securing the area and reactivating the operation of local administrations

- enforce law and human rights

- expedite economic development

- pursue dialog

- pursue rehabilitation, reconciliation and amnesty.

2. Dialog will be revived only if the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) accepts the Aceh special autonomy law.

3. By the end of the fasting month, 2002, GAM should accept the autonomy status and end armed struggle.

4. Security operations will continue in order to protect civilians and ensure that the government continues.

5. If GAM refuses to accept the offer, the government will intensify security operations.

6. Infrastructure development will be focused on secure areas in Aceh.

7. Law enforcement steps will be intensified across the province.