Govt criticized over martial law in Aceh

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.