Govt urged to dissolve anti-GAM 'militias' in Aceh

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Aceh Working Group (AWG) has urged authorities to disarm and dissolve civilian militias in Aceh province, for fear that they could disrupt the peace process there.

The group accused certain security personnel of mobilizing and recruiting Acehnese civilians as members of the armed militia groups.

"The government and the legislature have official data on the existence of these militia groups which could create security disturbances during the demilitarization process in Aceh," said Otto Syamsuddin Ishak, a AWG member who is a noted Acehnese sociologist.

He mentioned the shooting incident in Bener Meuriyah regency on Sept. 7 as part of sporadic violence that has tarnished the Aceh peace deal between the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

It may have been carried out by armed militia members as both the military and GAM claimed innocence, Otto added.

Under the peace accord signed in Helsinki, the three-month- long demilitarization process will begin on Thursday through Sept. 17 with the decommissioning of weapons belonging to GAM and the withdrawal of Indonesian Military troops.

It is feared that the presence of the militias could also affect the reintegration process of GAM members into society.

In response to the militia issue in Aceh, Minister of Communications and Information Sofyan Djalil, who was involved in the peace deal with the GAM, asked the National Police on Tuesday to disarm and dissolve the armed civilian groups.

A report submitted to lawmakers shows that thousands of Acehnese civilians had been recruited as members of anti-GAM groups since May 2003, when the government imposed martial law in Aceh.

According to the report, which was made only days before the Dec. 26 tsunami, the groups were spread across Aceh, including the provincial capital of Banda Aceh and other regencies of Pidie, Bireuen, Nagan Raya, Aceh Tamiang, Aceh Jaya, Langsa and East, North, South and West Aceh.

They include one called the Red-and-White Youth Movement (GPMP). Based on the report, the GPMP, based in Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar and East Aceh has nearly 25,000 members, while 70 others, including local officials, are in charge at its secretariat.

The data, issued on Dec. 21, 2004, also mentioned that among these groups is the Front for the Struggle Against GAM (FPSG).

The FPSG is based in eight regencies: Aceh Besar, Sabang, Bireun, Langsa, Aceh Tamiang, Gayo Lues, Southeast Aceh and South and East Aceh, with around 70,000 members.

Many local civil servants and councillors are among the leaders and members of these groups.