Military command reinstated in Aceh despite protests

Military command reinstated in Aceh despite protests

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Despite objections from the Acehnese and from human rights
campaigners, the government has decided to reestablish the
military command in Aceh, contending that the province needs
special treatment to curb separatist activities.

Rights activists have expressed concern that the decision,
taken at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, would signal the return
of unbridled military power in the restive province.

Emerging from the meeting, Coordinating Minister for Political
and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, said that the
reintroduction of the Iskandar Muda military command in Aceh was
designed "to strengthen the Indonesian Military's ability to
handle the separatist movement in the province."

Aceh has been under the auspices of the Bukit Barisan Military
Command, based in the North Sumatra capital of Medan, since its
military command was dissolved in 1984.

Rights activists promptly objected to the decision, saying
that the new military command would only damage the peace efforts
in the oil-rich province.

"We strongly oppose the new military command as it will go
against peace efforts being made by local and international
rights campaigners," said Rufriadi, chairman of the Legal Aid
Institute in Aceh, as quoted by the Associated Press. "This will
only create more violence and more and more civilians will become
victims."

International human rights activists have accused the army of
committing widespread abuses in Aceh, including running death
squads that target civilians opposed to Indonesian rule.

Aceh remains tense as violence continues in some part of the
province. At least 36 people have been killed in clashes between
rebels and security forces since the beginning of the year.

Last month the military said that it would reestablish the
military command in Aceh only if the Acehnese agreed to it.

The minister argued that it was the constitutional duty of the
Indonesian Military (TNI) to maintain national integrity.

The separatist movement, which has existed for 26 years, had
posed a threat to national unity, he said.

Rights activists say that more than 1,400 people, mostly
civilians, have died during that period.

The Iskandar Muda military command was liquidated in a bid to
trim TNI's organization from 16 military commands to 10 across
the country.

However, in 1989 the government imposed some kind of military
operation in the restive province, which went on for 10 years.
Numerous human rights violations committed during that period
have deeply traumatized the Acehnese.

The violations were conducted under the guise of military
operations to crush the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

So far none of those human rights violations cases has been
taken to court. Peace dialogs with GAM members initiated by
former president Abdurrahman Wahid seem to have lost their
momentum.

Susilo also said that the structure for the military command
already existed and the current operational command post would
serve as the new military command.

"We already have a military command post and enough military
deployment in Aceh, so we will not be starting from scratch. Of
course, there will be a timetable and we will calculate the
budget for it," he remarked.

On the possibility of continuing a dialog with GAM, Susilo
said that the government was still awaiting a signal from GAM to
settle the separatist issue peacefully, before expiry of the
implementation of Presidential Instruction No.7/2001 on the
comprehensive solution for Aceh.

"We will give GAM one more chance to have a dialog with us by
Feb.11, but it should be conducted within the context of
accepting the special regional autonomy law of Nanggroe Aceh
Darussalam or we will have to continue the law enforcement
operation," Susilo said.

The law, which gives the province more power to control its
own affairs, came into effect on Jan. 1 this year.

Acehnese Ulemas Consultative Assembly vice chairman Tengku
Imam Syuja told this paper last month that a one-sided decision
to reestablish the military command could destroy any efforts at
dialog with GAM.

He also said that GAM had opposed the plans to revive the
military command.

Susilo said that the minister of foreign affairs and minister
of home affairs would determine the agenda for the dialogs.

Concerted efforts for military command in Aceh

Dec. 16, 2001: Brig. Gen. M. Djali Yusuf, military operations
commander in Aceh, says TNI would consider reestablishing the
Iskandar Muda military Command if the Acehnese agree to its
resumption.

Jan 2, 2002: Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh, accompanied by
his deputy Azwar Abu Bakar and a number of provincial councillors,
meet with Vice President Hamzah Haz, and separately with top
security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Minister of
Defense Matori Abdul Djalil, to demand the revival of the
military command in Aceh.

Jan. 3, 2002: Minister Susilo Bambang say after a Cabinet
meeting that President Megawati Soekarnoputri will soon issue a
decision on the reestablishment of the military command.

Jan. 4, 2002: Abdullah Puteh and his entourage meet President
Megawati together with Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno. Hari
say Megawati gives a "positive response." Vice President Hamzah Haz
gives his consent to the planned revival of the command.

Jan. 9, 2002: Coordinating meeting of political and security
ministers recommends the revival of the command.

Jan. 10, 2002: After a Cabinet meeting, Susilo says the
government has decided to reestablish the military command.