Govt criticized over martial law in Aceh

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Experts criticized on Tuesday the government's decision to extend military offensive in troubled Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, arguing that the five-month operation had served as a proof that security approach could not resolve the Aceh question.

Noted sociologist Thamrin Amal Tamagola from the University of Indonesia (UI) and rights campaigners Munir and Usman Hamid stressed militaristic approach would yield no result even if Jakarta extends the martial law for years.

"The government should consider a non-militaristic way to solve the Aceh question because the military has failed to restore security and bring about a normal life for Acehnese.

"Jakarta's decision has only showed that the government has no concept in dealing with the Aceh question," Thamrin said during a seminar here on Tuesday.

"The government should focus on the Acehnese's welfare and, indeed, there are no progress about this so far," he said.

Rights activists Munir from the Indonesian Human Rights Monitor (Impartial) and Usman Hamid from the National Commission on Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said the government decision catered to the needs of military and certain political elements in the country.

The government on Monday decided to extend the martial law and the joint operations in Aceh, admitting that the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) had remained strong six months into the military offensive in the troubled province.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri issued a decree in May imposing martial law in Aceh for a period of six months in a bid to crack down on GAM rebels who have been fighting for independence for the resource-rich province since 1976. Over 10,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since then.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said after a cabinet meeting on Monday that in terms of personnel and weaponry, GAM rebels "remain strong and they have changed their tactics to full guerrilla warfare."

The cabinet meeting, nevertheless, has yet to decide on the duration of the military operation.

The military had earlier said that it would easily beat the 5,000-strong rebels by conducting counter-guerrilla tactics repeatedly voiced that it would end the struggle within months.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto admitted on Tuesday that for the time being, he has yet to employ new tactics to crush the guerrillas.

"With the extension of martial law in Aceh, we have yet to decide on the new method or strategy to hunt down the guerrillas," Endriartono said after attending a special meeting on general elections at Susilo's office on Tuesday.

Both Munir and Usman said the government has also made public lies by saying that the extension of military campaign was badly needed because "most Acehnese demanded so."

"Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said that local ulemas and other representatives of Acehnese civilian have demanded Jakarta to extend the martial law for what they claimed that they were happy with the current situation in Aceh. But it was a lie because he (Susilo) did not listen to other voice from the people who have been suffering the most due to the ongoing war," they said in a joint statement.

"GAM has been conducting armed struggle for more than two- decades and, indeed, it was also a public lie if Susilo said that the rebels had already changed their tactics," they said.

Both Munir and Usman said the military had developed a permanent relationship with local politicians in Aceh to maintain "an emergency structure" in the province which, of course, "will grant an extra power to the military and sideline civilian participation in solving the Aceh questions."

"The government's decision has also showed an ignorance to the rampant rights abuses in Aceh," they said.