Govt asked to pay more attention to Aceh security
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)