More Acehnese reject planned military command

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

As the government looks set to reestablish a military command in restive Aceh, Acehnese intellectuals and human rights campaigners voiced their opposition to the plan, arguing that it would add to the suffering of the local people.

Intellectuals grouped in the All Aceh Intellectual Movement (GISA) contended that judging from past experience, reestablishment of the military command would only heighten human rights violations.

"We do not want a concentration of security forces here. We fear that they might commit more human rights violations," GISA secretary Syarwan Ahmad said as quoted by Antara.

He further said that Acehnese were traumatized by the presence of military. Even without the military command, violence continues in Aceh.

The idea to revive the command has also been opposed by the Aceh chapter of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) and the Banda Aceh Legal Aid Institute (LBH Banda Aceh).

Coordinator of Kontras for Aceh, Andi Rizal, pointed out that the revival of the command would only strengthen the Indonesian Military's (TNI) position and legalize the silent inflow of troops into the province.

LBH Banda Aceh director Rufriadi simply said: "We do not want another military operation in Aceh."

The government's plan to revive a military command in Aceh seems to be unstoppable as President Megawati Soekarnoputri gave a "positive response" and Vice President Hamzah Haz gave his consent to the plan.

"The President had responded to the suggestion. The President did not immediately agree with the idea but gave a positive response to it," Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said on Friday after accompanying Megawati in a meeting with Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh.

Separately, Hamzah said establishing a military command in Aceh would require some funding but the government would find ways to find the money if the Acehnese people asked for it.

"I think, if it meets a real need, a military command can be set up there," Hamzah said after Friday prayers at Al Barkah Mosque in Jakarta.

The military in Aceh has been under the control of the Bukit Barisan Military Command based in Medan since 1985 when the government merged three military commands in Aceh (Iskandar Muda), West Sumatra (Tujuhbelas Agustus) and North Sumatra into the Bukit Barisan.

Governor Puteh, after meeting Megawati, argued that such a military command was necessary because of the vast area of the province and to prevent misconduct of security officers in handling security and order in the province.

"It is important to have a military command because Aceh is too far away from Jakarta and we need to have immediate security control in the province, although security conditions are improving," Puteh said.

Puteh, accompanied by his deputy Azwar Abu Bakar and a number of provincial councillors, was in Jakarta to campaign for the reestablishment of the military command in the province.

LBH Banda Aceh's Rufriadi and GISA's Syarwan blasted Puteh's campaign.

Rufriadi urged the governor to explain the reasons for asking for the reestablishment of the military command to the people.

Syarwan noted that it would not strengthen the governor's position because the people did not like it.

"The governor should have consulted the people first before making the request," he said.