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.