Military rejects delegating security matters to Aceh

Military rejects delegating security matters to Aceh

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Military (TNI) and National
Police have rejected a proposal to give the Aceh provincial
government authority for security arrangements within the
troubled province.

TNI Chief Adm. Widodo A.S. told a hearing with the House of
Representatives late on Wednesday night that the armed forces
would not risk delegating security and defense matters to the
province, which has been taking on separatist rebels for years.

Widodo insisted that Jakarta take full control of security and
defense arrangements in Aceh, in view of its responsibility to
keep the unitary state intact.

"There are two major problems plaguing Aceh: social discontent
and the presence of the separatist movement. The first problem
must be settled by giving the province special autonomy status,
while the second must be responded to with a security approach,"
Widodo told House legislators who proposed a law that would
provide Aceh with wide-ranging autonomy.

The bill, called the special autonomy draft for Nanggroe Aceh
Darussalam, proposes that the Aceh government determine its own
policies on security. These include the establishment of an
autonomous police force.

Widodo maintained on Wednesday TNI's role in Aceh as a police
backup force "since the problems there have become complex due to
the threats by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to the country's
unity and sovereignty".

Hundreds of military reinforcement troops have been sent to
Aceh following the issuance of a presidential directive to
restore law and order in the volatile territory last month.

The government dismissed fears that the new security campaign
would lead to another series of human rights abuses as happened
during a decade of military operations that ended in 1998, saying
that the current operation was aimed at "selected targets".

Jakarta has strictly ruled out independence for the
westernmost province, and offered special autonomy as part of a
political solution to the problem.

"The TNI and the National Police fully appreciate that we must
soon enact the special autonomy law for the province as a
comprehensive solution to the Aceh problem," Widodo said.

The People's Consultative Assembly set a May 1 deadline for
the adoption of special autonomy status for the province that is
rich in natural resources.

Also present at the hearing were National Police Chief Gen.
Surojo Bimantoro, TNI chief of general affairs Lt. Gen. Djamari
Chaniago, TNI chief of territorial affairs Lt. Gen. Agus Widjojo,
and the National Police deputy chief Com. Gen. Pandji
Atmasudirdja.

Meanwhile, Bimantoro stressed that the special autonomy
offered to Aceh should not violate the 1945 Constitution and
other laws that remain effective, including Law No. 28/1997 on
the National Police and Law No. 20/1982 on National Defense and
Security Guidelines.

"Like TNI, the National Police prefers a centralized system
since we uphold a unitary, not a federal, state, even though we
are promoting regional autonomy," Surojo said.

Surojo also warned that transferring authority over security
affairs from the National Police to local government could lead
to the politicization of the police. (02)