Martial law may be called in Aceh, Irian: Minister

JAKARTA (JP): Separatist movements which have simmered in Aceh and Irian Jaya for years could force the government to declare martial law in the two provinces, a minister said on Monday.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Feisal Tanjung, speaking for Minister of Defense and Security Gen. Wiranto, who is in Singapore to receive a medal, told a plenary session of the House of Representatives that martial law could be enacted in the two provinces if rebel groups intensified their activities in the areas.

"There have been a series of killings, abductions, shootings at security personnel and civilians and attacks on schools and government buildings committed by the Free Aceh Movement and the Free Papua Organization.

"A state under such a situation is unsafe and could even be endangered," Feisal told the House as he submitted bills on internal security and the paramilitary.

The internal security bill would allow the president to enforce martial law in parts of the country hit by rebellions and attempts to break away from the republic.

The natural-resource rich provinces of Aceh and Irian Jaya have seen a rise in violence over the past year. Aceh appears the more volatile of the two, with over 100 security personnel and civilians killed between May and early July.

Apart from the two provinces, Indonesia has battled separatist rebels and coup attempts across the nation since it declared independence in 1945.

The bill would also allow the president to declare a state of emergency in areas hit by communal clashes sparked by religious, racial or ethnic conflicts.

Ethnic and religious riots have rocked the country over the past two years, claiming more than 500 lives. Attempts to restore order following sporadic religious clashes in Maluku are still underway.

The internal security and paramilitary bills were submitted to the House to replace the 1959 state of emergency law and the 1960 government regulation on procedures for requesting military assistance, Feisal said.

According to the internal security bill, the president must consult the National Defense and Security Council and the newly established Council for the Enactment of Security and Law to declare a state of emergency. The president chairs both institutions.

In times of peace, the president can enact the internal security law if the National Police and other security forces are considered unable to cope with situations which cause local government, business and social institutions to malfunction, according to the bills.

The bill also states that if the country is at war, the government can declare martial law if faced with separatist movements which adversely affect public order and security. A state of war and siege will be declared during a war with a foreign nation in order to maintain the state's sovereignty and national unity.

Discussing the paramilitary bill, Feisal said the civilian militia had proven a reliable force in defending the republic's sovereignty and maintaining national security.

Article 30 of the 1945 Constitution says that each citizen has the right and responsibility to defend the state.

Feisal said a trained civilian militia could serve as reinforcement for the Indonesian Military and National Police.

Only citizens between the ages of 18 and 45 are eligible to join the militia. Recruitment of the civilian militia would be conducted by the Ministry of Defense and Security in cooperation with state institutions where the recruits are employed.(amd)