Govt to impose stern measures against separatists

JAKARTA (JP): The government will take stern measures against separatist movement activities nationwide starting next month, Minister of Defense Mahfud M.D. said on Tuesday.

"It is clear that within the next two weeks the government will impose a new policy, that is to take firm action against any separatist movement activities.

"Of course we'll still hold dialogs, but not with the separatist groups. Aspirations for independence will not be discussed in the dialogs, either," Mahfud told reporters after attending a limited Cabinet meeting on security affairs at the office of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs.

He said the government is tired of the prolonged talks, since the separatist movements have yet to change their demands for independence.

"Look at the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). We (the government) have held talks with them twice, but they were fruitless. They still ask for independence, which the government will never allow", Mahfud said.

The Indonesian government, facilitated by a Swiss-based non- governmental Organization (NGO), the Henry Dunant Center, has conducted talks with GAM's representatives in Geneva since June last year. The agreement, termed a humanitarian pause, had been extended twice before the government and GAM agreed to impose a one-month moratorium of violence over the troubled province on Jan. 15.

The newest accord to reduce violence was set up last Saturday, replacing the one-month moratorium which ended on Feb. 15.

However, GAM executives doubted that the new accord could build confidence between the government and GAM.

Irian Jaya is another Indonesian province which has been disrupted by calls for independence from its people.

On Monday, a separatist rebel leader Willem Onde met House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung at the latter's office to deliver a demand for the province's independence and to ask for the House's stance on the issue.

Akbar, however, ruled out the independence for the province, which is rich in natural resources, and suggested that Onde and the people in the province draft a bill on special autonomy.

When asked whether the stern measures to be taken would be in the form of military operations, Mahfud said the government would take 'a comprehensive approach', including law enforcement, economic recovery and also social, religious and political activities.

"Regarding military operations, the government is still formulating a 'legal umbrella'. It can be in the form of a Presidential Decree or even a Law," Mahfud said.

The minister, however, said that the government would carefully specify the outlawed separatist movement activities in the country so as to avoid criminalizing people who should not be the target of the government's new policy. (02)