Ministers assigned to visit Aceh warned of gravity of task

JAKARTA (JP): A team of six ministers assigned to visit Aceh have been warned of the gravity of its task given the deep public distrust, and even hatred, of the government due to former military operations in the northernmost province.

Presidential assistant for people's welfare and poverty eradication Jimly Assiddiqie told a meeting of ministers set to leave for a day trip to Aceh that officials had to be ready to make concrete actions.

"Indications of unresolved hatred in Aceh have reached a serious level. We have to restore this soon.

"For instance, I've heard that at a national ceremony, some 5,000 residents refused to stand when the national anthem Indonesia Raya was played. After the master of ceremonies persuaded them, they eventually stood up," Jimly said.

Four main problems in Aceh are related to justice, welfare, security and communications hindrances, he added.

President Habibie's planned visit in March, Jimly said, is meant to combine efforts to restore social and political security there. "We do not want the visit to become only a rhetoric and a show off" of presidential concern, he said.

The team is led by Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Haryono Suyono, who has led a similar mission to the Maluku province, where at least 105 people have been killed in communal clashes.

Hasballah M. Sa'ad of the Human Rights Solidarity Committee for Aceh said that besides the government, large companies in Aceh must participate in healing the people's psychological wounds.

"According to our data, there are 2,700 poor villages in North Aceh. This is ironic because six big companies are also located there, such as Mobil Oil and PT Arun," he said at the meeting.

"The government must coordinate community development with the companies as they already have the funds. At least it will eliminate jealous feelings and help boost people's welfare."

Attending Saturday's meeting were noted Aceh figures here such as former chairman of the United Development Party Ismail Hasan Metareum, law professor Ismail Suny, and chairman of Human Rights Solidarity Committee for Aceh Amran Zamzami.

Data from Haryono's office shows that 1,021 people have been killed, 864 remain missing and 1,376 have become widows, while 680 houses have been burned down since the Armed Forces declared Aceh a military operations territory in 1989, targeting separatists. The status was lifted last year.

"We are there to ease the people's welfare burden and gain back their trust," Haryono said. (edt)