Locals, TNI disagree on GAM commemoration

Locals, TNI disagree on GAM commemoration

Ibnu Mat Noor, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

Acehnese leaders and the Indonesian Military (TNI) are still at
loggerheads over the Aceh "independence day" the Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) wants to commemorate on Dec. 4.

Tengku Imam Suja, a community leader, said the planned
celebration of the GAM-declared 26th anniversary of Aceh's
"independence" would not necessarily disrupt the peace accord
scheduled to be signed on Dec. 9, as long as the celebration did
not involve the Acehnese people.

"The independence celebration is an internal matter of GAM and
is not a problem as long as the Acehnese people do not join in.
The ongoing peace process will likely be threatened if we
interfere in GAM's internal matters," he told The Jakarta Post
here on Friday.

Muhammad Nasir Djamil, a member of the Aceh legislature's
commission for defense and security, agreed and said GAM and TNI
should pursue positive steps to strengthen the peace process.

"It would be better if GAM commemorated its anniversary
modestly and in a remote area that cannot be seen by security
personnel or reached local people," he said.

GAM reiterated that it would go ahead with plans to
commemorate the anniversary on Dec. 4 despite a ban by the
government and military posturing.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri has warned separatist
movements in Aceh and Papua against holding any celebrations,
including flag-raising ceremonies, to commemorate self-declared
independence anniversaries.

Meanwhile, TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto warned that the
independence celebration would demonstrate a lack of political
commitment on the part of GAM to the peace process.

"TNI is waiting for GAM to get serious about creating peace in
the province. If GAM fails to sign the proposed peace accord on
Dec. 9, TNI will have no other alternative but to quell the
rebellion with force. If that is the case, we will hunt them down
wherever they go," he said before more than 2,900 combat troops
in Batujajar, Bandung.

The troops, who just completed a 45-day training course under
the Army's Special Forces, will be deployed to Aceh soon.

"If by Dec. 9 they (GAM) refuse to sign the peace accord and
we do nothing, it will undermine the hope of the people,"
Endriartono said.

He called on the people of Aceh to persuade any of their
relatives who joined GAM to return home and give up their weapons
rather than fight a war they will certainly lose.

However, Endriartono said the government was still willing to
search for a comprehensive economic, law enforcement and cultural
solution to the Aceh problem.