JP/2/KODAM
Mega bows to military, allows Aceh command
The Jakarta Post Jakarta
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in Jakarta on Thursday that President Megawati Soekarnoputri will issue a decision on the reestablishment of the military command in Aceh in the near future.
"The suggestion and demand for the reestablishment of the military command will be carefully considered and there will soon be a political decision on it," Susilo said at a media conference after a Cabinet meeting.
"If the reestablishment of the military command could be part of a solution in troubled Aceh then we will revive it," the minister said, reiterating the importance of maintaining the territorial integrity of the country.
According to a human rights campaigner here, however, the plan to revive the Aceh military command will only prolong oppression in the territory, because it would in effect, deploy thousands of troops intent on crushing separatism without regard for human rights.
Bambang Widjojanto sees the plan as a concession that President Megawati Soekarnoputri must "pay" to the military in exchange for its support of her administration.
"The military has been politically isolated, criticized and in a difficult position, and it seems that they now see an opportunity to rebuild their strength under the Megawati administration," Bambang said.
Perhaps Megawati, a staunch nationalist and completely intolerant of any type of separatist activity, is aware that it could take a very long time to create a peaceful, diplomatic solution to the conflict in Aceh, and so she is taking an expedient route, a short cut, the "crush-them-with-the-military way", he asserted.
Bambang said that there are essentially three reasons behind the re-establishment of the Aceh military command. First, Megawati wants a quick solution but without calculating the risk, second the military needs a legitimate base to deal with the separatism, in its way, without any checks or balances and third the military wants to politicize social problems in Aceh and use violence to put it to an end.
"Why does the military want to revive the command at a time when it is supposed to be reducing its territorial role and only focusing on outside threats?" Bambang asked.
Susilo said that the government would not only concentrate on the security aspects for the reestablishment of the military command, but more on the effort to maintain the country's sovereignty.
The Iskandar Muda Military Command, which oversaw Aceh, the Tujuhbelas Agustus Military Command that oversaw West Sumatra and the Bukit Barisan Military Command, which oversaw North Sumatra, were merged into the Bukit Barisan Military Command in May 1985.
The military in Aceh is now under the control of the Bukit Barisan Military Command, whose territories cover several provinces including North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.
In 1999 then military commander Gen. Wiranto proposed the reestablishment of the Iskandar Muda Military Command, but the proposal was withdrawn after receiving strong opposition due to fears of the repetition of human rights abuses during the military operation from 1989 to 1998.
Any effort to improve the security situation in the province, where the special autonomy law and syariah (Islamic law) has been officially put into effect since Tuesday, will receive a skeptical response because of severe public distrust of the military establishment.
Therefore, the plan for the reestablishment of the military command in the province will also gain opposition from certain elements in society.
Bachtiar Aly of the University of Indonesia (UI) said that a tryout is needed before the military command is reestablished to ensure that there will be no negative effect to its reestablishment.
"Such a tryout is needed to answer public skepticism that the reestablishment of the military command is not aimed at returning militarism to the province," said Bachtiar, former presidential adviser for Aceh affairs.
"I agree with the idea to reestablish the military command if the objective is to create a clear command in the region's security forces," Bachtiar told The Jakarta Post.
Bachtiar said he could understand the reasons behind the provincial administration's demand to reestablish the military command, as the uncertain security command in Aceh had caused problems for security personnel.