Govt seeks a change on Aceh emergency
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Cabinet members dealing with security decided on Sunday their short-term priority programs, including a comprehensive review of the state of civil emergency in Aceh.
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo A. S. said an assessment would be conducted to determine whether the integrated operations now underway in the province had resulted in significant progress.
"In a bid to get fresh reports on the latest situation in Aceh, all related ministers should do field visits and see whether the integrated operations have met their set goals," Widodo said.
The administration of former president Megawati Soekarnoputri imposed martial law on the entire province of Aceh on May 19, 2003 and launched major military operations against Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels.
The operations were launched after a six-month-old peace agreement collapsed.
Megawati lowered the martial law status to a state of civil emergency on May 2004, citing improvement in security. The former president assigned then chief security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to monitor the implementation of the emergency status in the province.
Widodo said the government of President Susilo might maintain the state of civil emergency, albeit partially in several areas believed to be GAM strongholds. Another option was to lift the emergency status but keep the military operation intact.
Also present in the meeting on Sunday were Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin, State Minister of Communication and Information Sofyan A. Djalil, Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf, Attorney General Abdul Rachman Saleh, the National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Adang Dorodjatun and the TNI Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto.
On political affairs, they highlighted the preparations for the direct election of regional government heads and amendments to Law No. 21/2002 on special autonomy for Papua. The issues will be tackled by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Widodo said direct elections of local leaders would occur in at least 150 provinces and regencies.
"We will draw up clear regulations on the direct elections and disseminate them nationwide," he said.
Megawati's administration planned for the elections to take place in 2005, and so revised the Law on Regional Autonomy No. 22/1999.
The former president also revised the special autonomy law for Papua by eliminating the political roles of the Papuan People's Council (MRP). The decision sparked controversy as the original status of the MRP was one of the hallmarks of the law meant to empower the Papuans.
Under the original law, all policies that would affect the life of people at large in the province required approval from the MRP.
Meanwhile, Juwono would focus on efforts to lobby the United States to lift its military embargo and boost the military-to- military relationship between the two countries.
On law enforcement, Widodo encouraged the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and the Attorney General's Office to concentrate on settling corruption cases, particularly the fraud case involving state bank BNI.
Widodo also stated that the security authorities had to prioritize the manhunt of most wanted bomb experts Dr. Azahari bin Husin and Noordin Mohd. Top for their alleged roles in a number of major terror attacks in the country.
Asked whether the President would adopt a strict carrot and stick approach, Widodo said: "If they (the police) fail to capture those men, we shouldn't immediately punish them, as we consider the effort the more important thing."
According to Sofyan, all of the ministers were also told to avoid foreign trips within the first 100 days in office in a bid to make them focus on domestic problems.