Govt rejects Aceh referendum

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Law and Legislation Affairs Yuzril Ihza Mahendra said on Thursday the government would not offer a referendum in seeking solution to the Aceh problem.

"The government has to comply with the State Policy Guidelines (GBHN) which stipulates a special autonomy for the province. If Aceh has to hold a referendum, the People's Consultative Assembly decree on GBHN has to be revised. So, that's why the government will not offer a referendum to solve the conflict," he said after attending a plenary session at the House of Representatives held to discuss the Aceh and Ambon issues.

His comments were made just minutes after the House excised any reference to a referendum in its agreed recommendations to the government on solving the Aceh issue.

The House's special committee, which drafted the recommendations, initially included the option of a referendum without specifying what the it would be for.

This latest recommendation and Yusril's comments seem to run contrary to past statements by President Abdurrahman Wahid who said he would agree to a referendum on the application of Islamic law in the restive province.

Yuzril remarked on Thursday that the government's stance on a referendum depended on the Assembly.

"The authority to accept or reject the referendum is in the hands of the Assembly. The government has no authority to make a decision on this matter," he said.

Also attending Thursday's plenary session were Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Gen. Wiranto, Minister of Settlement and Territorial Development Erna Witular, State Minister for Regional Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid and Home Affairs Minister Surjadi Soedirdja.

Ali Yahya, spokesman for the House's special committee on Aceh, said despite the referendum being struck out, the option should still be debated in public forums.

"All sides are expected to give more attention to the Acehnese demand for a referendum. Let it be a topic of discussions in public forums and scientific meetings," he said.

Among the recommendations put forward to the government were the implementation of special autonomy for Aceh and the trial of perpetrators of human rights abuses.

"We also recommended that the government not impose martial law and, instead, hold dialogs with related groups to settle the problem peacefully," Ali Yahya remarked.

He also said everyone in the province should avoid conflicts and create a conducive climate for dialogs and negotiations.

"The Aceh issue should be handled peacefully and all armed groups in the province should lay down their guns and go to the negotiating table," he said.

The House also recommended the government to reopen the Sabang freeport, rebuild the railway connecting the provincial capital of Banda Aceh to North Sumatra and build public infrastructures to accelerate development programs in the province.

Abductions

As politicians haggled in Jakarta, Teuku Umar Military Resort chief Col. Syarifuddin Tippe said in Banda Aceh that six military personnel were still missing after being abducted by unidentified armed gangs during the past three months.

"Most of the officers are missing because they left the group during patrols or operations in a disputed area. They're supposed to stay together for their own safety," Syarifuddin said.

Data from the Rencong II joint security task force show that 75 security personnel, 40 from the military and 35 from the police, have been killed in attacks by suspected separatist rebels since May.

Another 19 are declared missing. Injuries were put at 98.

Meanwhile, the situation was relatively calm in Aceh with some minor incidents in Lhokseumawe, North Aceh.

A molotov cocktail was thrown at the Banda Sakti Military subdistrict office in Lhokseumawe on Wednesday night.

"The cocktail was thrown from the back of the office at about 10:30 p.m.," North Aceh Military chief Lt. Col. Suyatno said on Thursday.

No fatalities or injuries were reported.

Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, a civilian named M. Gade Abdullah, 21, who was walking with police personnel, was killed when a homemade bomb was thrown in their direction.

"A group of police officers were on their way home from a ganja sweeping operation when suddenly they were caught up in a bomb blast in Alue Panah village. Gade died and a policeman was injured," North Aceh Police chief Lt. Col. Syafei Aksal said on Thursday.

Paramedics at Lhokseumawe Hospital, who requested anonymity, however, claimed that Gade died from gunshot wounds instead of bomb fractures.

Meanwhile in Medan, North Sumatra, five jailed members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) were released on Thursday, based on a government amnesty.

President Abdurrahman last week gave clemency to 91 political prisoners nationwide.

The five were GAM's West Aceh chief Nur Imransyah, 25, and four of his friends: Munzir, 26, Mustafa, 25, Joni, 25 and Abdul Manaf, 24.

They were charged for the murder of two soldiers in June.(39/50/edt/rms)