Govt asked to pay more attention to Aceh security

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces Faction in the House of Representatives has asked the administration to pay more attention to security problems in the province of Aceh.

In a written report on a recent visit to Sumatra of a team of the House's Commission I, responsible for security and foreign affairs, the faction says that separatist rebels in the province are still trying to gain international support for their cause.

Although the rebels' strength has been weakened significantly, their activities still pose a problem, says the report, which was read to a plenary session of the House yesterday.

"With the death of their leader, Pawang Rasyid, on June 20, the rebels lost their power." The faction said that the administration should put an end to the Aceh rebellion before the 1997 general election.

The Armed Forces faction said that the separatist group is using marijuana to meet its logistic needs in its operations against the Indonesian military.

Many marijuana plantations discovered in the province have been linked to the rebels, the faction said.

To destroy marijuana plantations, the Armed Forces carried out a special month-long operation in southeastern Aceh in June.

The report said several Army personnel had been found to be involved in the illegal trading of the drug. "The troops' involvement has become a challenge to the military authorities," it conceded.

The faction suggested that the administration reactivate the special operation in order to destroy the rebels' logistic resources.

It said that the servicemen known to have become involved in the rebels' trading activities should be punished.

The faction also touched upon another security problem: that of Aceh fishermen inadvertently crossing into Indian waters as a result of their technologically-backward boats.

The report said that Aceh fishermen arrested in Indian waters were jailed on Indian islands and that repatriating them was very difficult because of the complicated procedures insisted upon by Indian authorities for their release.

On the other hand, the report said, many foreign ships enter Indonesian waters and illegally fish in waters off Aceh. The foreigner fishermen often threaten local fishermen and open fire on them, it added.

The faction suggested the military increase its sea border patrols and crack down on illegal fishing operations by foreigners. It also proposed that local fishermen be provided with supervision to ensure that they do not cross into the waters of other countries. (05)