Govt to lift state of emergency in Aceh

Tiarma Siboro and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government announced on Thursday it would lift the one-year state of civil emergency in Aceh but said it would maintain a heavy military presence in the province to counter separatists.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adi Sucipto said returning Aceh to normal status was aimed at facilitating the reconstruction of the province, which was devastated by a Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami.

"Despite the return to civil order, the security operation will remain. In reality, GAM still exists. There must be efforts to ensure the reconstruction process can work," he said after a Cabinet meeting presided over by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has been fighting for independence for the natural resources-rich province since 1976.

Susilo is expected to issue a presidential decree officially lifting the state of civil emergency when it expires on May 18.

Widodo said the government hoped the change would enable "a transparent and conducive atmosphere" for Aceh's recovery.

Civil order theoretically means the people of Aceh will enjoy a return to normalcy.

Military troops were withdrawn from Maluku in 2003 following the lifting of the state of civil emergency there. Police then took over the job of maintaining security and order in the province.

Under a state of civil emergency, the governor, as the supreme commander of both the police and military, has the authority to declare certain areas off-limits to outsiders, ban public gatherings and censor the press.

However, Widodo said there would be no withdrawal of troops from Aceh despite the change in the province's status.

The lifting of the emergency status, he said, will apply to the entire province as part of the government's plan to settle the conflict in Aceh "permanently and comprehensively".

The Indonesian government is bracing for a fourth -- and hopefully decisive -- round of informal talks with GAM representatives in Helsinki on May 26, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin said.

Both sides have agreed in principle on an extended autonomy for Aceh, with the government preparing amendments to the law on special autonomy for the province.

Earlier in the day, Indonesia Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said separatist rebels continued to be a security threat in Aceh.

"There has been a slight increase (in the number of separatists) ... during the tsunami some (rebels who had been detained) managed to escape and consolidate," he said.

GAM also seized arms from several police posts when the tsunami swept through the province in December, he said.

"There are still robberies, abductions and attacks being perpetrated by GAM. They are still collecting (illegal) taxes. It is very disturbing because they are armed," Endriartono said.

GAM senior political officer Mohammad Nur Djuli criticized the government's decision to maintain troops in Aceh despite the lifting of the emergency status, saying it could not or would not control the TNI.

"After the third round of peace talks, the Indonesian delegation said they would control any movement of the military in Aceh.

"Instead of realizing this promise, the policy to continue the security operations shows that the civilian government in Indonesia has no power to control its armed forces," Nur Djuli told The Jakarta Post by phone.

"What is the difference between the state of emergency and civil order? A mango is always a mango, it never changes into another fruit."

Nur Djuli is among the GAM representatives who has taken part in the Helsinki talks.