President to issue decree to restore order in Aceh

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense Mahfud M.D. said on Tuesday President Abdurrahman Wahid would issue a presidential instruction to restore law and order in Aceh.

He told journalists before a Cabinet meeting on political and security affairs that the instruction would outline a comprehensive approach to tackle separatism in Aceh.

"The implementation of such comprehensive actions will be regulated through a presidential instruction that will be issued today (Tuesday), or may have been issued yesterday," Mahfud said.

The presidential instruction will outline actions to be taken in six areas, including the restoration of law and order and the acceleration of economic development.

The minister also said security operations in Aceh would only target armed civilians, particularly members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and independence fighters who refused to come to the negotiating table.

This new comprehensive approach in Aceh, Mahfud said, would enhance security at vital installations in Aceh, including oil and gas wells and installations belonging to ExxonMobil Indonesia, one of whose gas fields was burning on Saturday, reportedly the result of an attack by rebels.

But a group of representatives from Aceh urged President Abdurrahman on Tuesday to scrap the "planned military operation" saying that it would only further fuel antigovernment sentiment.

Speaking to Abdurrahman during a meeting at Bina Graha presidential office, the 49-strong delegation asked the government to withdraw all military and police personnel deployed from outside the province.

"We reject all kinds of military operations or law and order restoration which in fact are under way in Aceh now," the group, consisting of local legislators, civic leaders, students and rights activists, said in a three-page resolution.

The group called on the government to "continue and maximize" peace talks between Jakarta and GAM representatives in Geneva.

The group also called for international mediation in the conflict.

The government announced last month that it would launch a "limited security operation" against separatist rebels in Aceh and said that handling events in the province was "beyond police capability".

Army generals have repeatedly called for an immediate presidential decree to justify the planned operation.

Sources said, however, that Abdurrahman was reluctant to issue such a decree as the move would go against his promise before the Acehnese last December that Jakarta would try to reach a solution to the Aceh problem only through peaceful means.

Many in Aceh fear that the planned operation will lead to renewed widespread human rights abuses. Thousands were killed and tortured during antirebel operations in Aceh in the early 1990s.

Meanwhile, National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro dismissed on Tuesday allegations that security forces were behind the fire at Cluster IV of the ExxonMobil Indonesia compound in Lhoksukon, North Aceh.

"The fire was caused by a grenade attack by GAM rebels using long-range launchers. Therefore, the police will step up security and continue operations to handle the rebels," Bimantoro said after meeting with Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri at her residence on Jl. Teuku Umar in Central Jakarta.

Back in Aceh, an alleged guerrilla was killed during a fierce gun battle between security forces and GAM rebels following a raid on Monday, said chief of the police's Cinta Meunasah II operation, Adj. Sr. Comr. Sad Harunantyo, on Tuesday.

Lukman bin Effendi, 17, believed to be a GAM member, was shot and killed during the exchange of fire. He was shot in the head and the thigh.

In a separate development, Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government had decided to extend the state of civil emergency in both Maluku and North Maluku provinces until June.

"Then we will have three options: to end the civil emergency, to continue the civil emergency or to impose a civil emergency in limited areas," Susilo said after a coordinative meeting.

The state of civil emergency was imposed in the provinces nine months ago due to prolonged communal clashes which have claimed hundreds of lives.

Susilo revealed that the TNI would gradually pull out from both provinces.

"Currently, the TNI deploys 10 battalions, consisting of 10,000 troops, there due to the prolonged communal clashes. It is a huge figure," Susilo said.

Meanwhile in the Maluku capital of Ambon, Pattimura Military Commander Brig. Gen. I Made Yasa said the TNI would not tolerate any separatist movements in either provinces.

He was commenting on a call by the Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM) for people to hoist the separatist flag of the South Maluku Republic (RMS) on April 25, the date the RMS declared independence. (02/49/byg/dja/edt/emf)