Navy ups security in Aceh waters

Navy ups security in Aceh waters

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Navy is tightening security in
the seas adjacent to Aceh in a bid to minimize alleged weapons
smuggling from abroad to Aceh, while senior ministers are in the
restive province to promote peace there.

Chief of the Western Fleet of the Navy Rear Adm. Sumardjono
told the media in Jakarta on Wednesday that the mobility of
people entering and leaving Aceh by sea would be more tightly
monitored.

"The marine patrols will also be stepped up by the deployment
of four Navy warships and two spy airplanes," Sumardjono was
quoted by Antara as saying.

The sea-monitoring area stretches from the seaport of Sabang
to Sibolga in the neighboring province of North Sumatra,
according to Sumardjono.

Indonesia has alleged that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
separatist group receives supports from abroad and weapons have
been smuggled via sea.

Reports said that the Thai and Malaysian authorities had
foiled gun-smuggling efforts to Indonesia.

In a related development J.B. Kristiady, a political observer
from the Jakarta-based Centre for Strategic International Studies
(CSIS), said on Wednesday that the use of force alone would be
incapable of crushing the separatist movement. A comprehensive
approach, including continuous dialog, was preferable, he said.

"So far, the military operation has deployed around 15 troop
battalions, but it will not be able to solve the Aceh problem
unless it is followed up by political dialog and government
efforts to accelerate development to improve the social welfare
of the Acehnese," he said. He also cited the failure of the 20-
year military operation during the New Order regime as evidence
that force had not worked in Aceh.

The visit

Meanwhile in the province capital of Banda Aceh, 13 high-
ranking officials, including Cabinet ministers, led by
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, held a closed meeting with leader of the
security restoration and law enforcement operation in Aceh Insp.
Gen. Yusuf Manggabarani, at police headquarters.

Reporters speculated that the meeting discussed the plan to
release six GAM negotiators, detained by the police since July
for alleged treason under Criminal Code Article 106 and for
passport forgery under Article 236.

Later in the day another meeting hosted by Aceh Governor
Abdullah Puteh was held with local figures.

After the meetings Susilo told reporters that in principle the
government of Indonesia would free the six detainees, "but police
clearance had to be given beforehand."

If any of them was found to have violated the law, then legal
proceedings would have to take place first.

Susilo reiterated that President Megawati Soekarnoputri had
given the nod to the release of Tengku Nashiruddin bin Ahmad,
Amni bin Marzuki, Amdi bin Hamdani, T. Kamaruzzaman, T. Mahmud
and Sofyan Ibrahimm Tiba.

According to Antara, the dossiers of five of the six detainees
had been completed and submitted by the police to the Aceh
Provincial Prosecutors' Office on Tuesday, while the questioning
of Ibrahim Tiba was already underway.

Susilo added that the ministerial team's visit to Aceh aimed
to find immediate solutions to the complex problems in Aceh. The
team also visited the North Aceh district town of Lhokseumawe, to
meet ulemas and community leaders.

GAM claimed, however, that the visit was touristic.

Aceh has been a serious internal problem for Indonesia for a
long time, since separatist groups took up arms to pursue their
goal of establishing Aceh as an independent Islamic state.

A large number of Acehnese civilians, Indonesian military and
GAM members have been killed in continual ambushes in all parts
of the province since then.

Central government's alleged exploitation of the natural
resources has worsened the situation. Killings and violence are
rampant in most parts of the province, despite efforts by the
government and GAM to stop the violence.

President Megawati has recently apologized for violations in
the oil-rich province of Aceh. Her approval of the special
autonomy bill for Aceh, in which the province is given the new
name of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, was evidence of the seriousness
of the government in settling the lingering conflict peacefully.
(rms/50/sur)