House wants answer about arrested local Acehnese politicians
House wants answer about arrested local Acehnese politicians
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Banda Aceh
House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung on Friday called
on the Aceh martial law administration to release detained
politicians who supported the Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
separatists out of fear rather than voluntarily.
Akbar, also chairman of the Golkar Party, demanded on Friday
that the authority investigate whether the politicians' alleged
links to the rebels were "intended" or not.
"Possibly, they were forced to give donations to GAM. If this
happens, they must not be considered as having links with GAM,"
Akbar told the press here.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Sudi Silalahi, an assistant to
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, said on Friday that the arrests of politicians
in Aceh were based on credible intelligence reports.
"We don't want to catch the wrong persons," he said.
Sudi, nevertheless, said that the martial law administration
would not just automatically believe such intelligence reports as
a series of investigations would also been carried out against
the arrested politicians to see whether they were really involved
in the separatist movement.
He said the arrest of civil servants was part of the operation
to crush the rebellion.
"Regarding the special screening for civil servants in Aceh, I
think it is the only way to determine their loyalty to the
Unitary Republic of Indonesia.
"It is inconceivable that we will hire civil servants who at
the same time support the secession of the province," Sudi told
reporters.
Despite criticism over the arbitrary arrests of civil servants
and councillors, Aceh martial law administrator Maj. Gen. Endang
Suwarya stated on Wednesday that he would soon launch another
operation to target "white-collar" rebels in Aceh.
He said the operation would target all people regardless of
their backgrounds, whether they were civil servants, legislators,
or businesspeople.
Endang emphasized that civil servants and businesspeople who
had "two faces" would be targeted as they threatened national
integrity.
He made the statement during a visit to the regency of Aceh
Singkil, where he was greeted by hundreds of civil servants, and
religious and community leaders.
During the visit, he was accompanied by Aceh police chief
Insp. Gen. Bachrumsyah Kasman and Aceh deputy governor Azwar
Abubakar.
Endang said he would ask the provincial administration to
shift funds previously allocated for "rebellious areas" to the
regency of Aceh Singkil, whose residents had declared their
loyalty to the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.
Separately, alleged rebel leader Isnandar Al Pasee alias
Irwandi Yusuf, who has been detained at National Police
Headquarters in Jakarta for two weeks, was transported to Aceh.
The Aceh Police's chief of detectives, Sr. Comr. Surya Darma,
said that Isnandar would be questioned by Aceh Police before
being brought to court.
Isnandar was a lecturer at the Syah Kuala University in Banda
Aceh and an activist with the World Wildlife Fund, specializing
in elephant conservation.
He was arrested at a house on Jalan Otista III, East Jakarta,
belonging to American freelance journalist William Nessen. Nessen
is reportedly still with GAM rebels, possibly in Bireuen regency.
Besides Isnandar, the Aceh police also brought in from
Palembang, South Sumatra, an alleged GAM rebel who the military
claims burned down three school buildings in Pidie regency.
Teungku Ali, the alleged GAM member, was apprehended in
Palembang. "We will process them all," Surya Darma added.
Places Number of GAM rebels arrested
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Aceh 13
Banda Aceh 24
Aceh Besar 15
Pidie 17
Bireuen 5
North Aceh 13
East Aceh 5
South Aceh 24
Central Aceh 19
Southeast Aceh 4
Sabang 4
West Aceh 1
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Source: Aceh Police