Humanitarian pause useless

The agreement to extend the humanitarian pause in Aceh is a complete waste of time. Does the government not realize that it has taken a wrong step by signing this agreement in the first place, which so far has given the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) the opportunity to misuse the pause and cause more suffering to the common people, creating additional problems for the law enforcing agencies?

I recall what the President said in a nationwide broadcast on national television, "...if people express their will to be independent, let them do so, because that is just talk. But if they organize themselves, make up a time schedule of actions and arm themselves, then they must be arrested and the government is serious". Have there been any serious steps taken by the government against the separatist movement so far? I don't think I have seen any.

But is not the only statement of the President about the cry for independence, which will be nipped in the bud, so to speak. The Papua case is another one. He allowed a congress to be held, donated one billion rupiah and allowed the Papuans to hoist their "national flag".

What is the government doing about these violations? Nothing. Has GAM stopped their terrorist activities, their killing and murdering of members of the military? The pause has given them the chance to continue their terrorist activities, to disguise themselves as unknown armed gangs and so refuse to take responsibility for those activities.

Everything is misused by GAM who try to scare the civilian government and the military by killing, bombing, wrecking government buildings and setting them on fire and so on. I am convinced that our government is capable of taking resolute steps. After the displeasure shown by the UN over the killing of three UNHCR workers, the government was capable of sending one battalion of troops the very next day.

The humanitarian pause was useless from the very beginning and many organizations have expressed their disagreement. The government should know that, especially after "unknown armed gangs" got so much freedom to terrorize the people.

Let us hope and pray that the government takes a serious second look at this humanitarian pause and starts acting like any government should do against law violators.

SOEGIH ARTO

Jakarta