Military operation

Military operation
and human rights

From Media Indonesia

The integrated military operation in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam
has been going on for over 70 days and the separatist Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) is now in a difficult position, as shown by its
members' increasing brutality, such as threats to newsmen,
teachers, civil servants and other citizens.

GAM's actions, its attacks on civilians, is no longer
tolerable. However, the National Commission on Human Rights
(Komnas HAM) has not properly responded to such violations.
Conversely, some time ago chairman of the commission's ad hoc
team for Aceh asked that the operation in Aceh be halted because
the Indonesian Military (TNI) and police had violated human
rights.

In fact, the public is aware that the integrated operation in
Aceh is meant to eliminate the armed separatist movement.
According to human rights expert Tjipta Lesaman, a military
operation against an armed movement can be justified. Yet Komnas
HAM considers the crushing of an armed separatist rebellion as a
human rights abuse. A lot of TNI and police members have been
killed by GAM but Komnas HAM has remained silent.

Therefore, all members of Komnas HAM particularly the ad hoc
team should realize that this commission must be flexible and
make objective evaluations, free from bias so as not to be
regarded as supporting GAM.

SYAIFULLAH
Bogor, West Java