Revival of military command in Aceh risky
Ibnu Mat Noor, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh
The government must be extra careful with an Indonesian Military (TNI) plan to reestablish an Aceh-specific military command, or else the dialog to settle the lingering conflict in the province will be disrupted, an Acehnese figure says.
Acehnese Ulemas' Consultative Assembly vice chairman Tengku Imam Syuja told the The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that the plan needed thorough study.
"If the reestablishment of an Aceh-specific military command is considered necessary, dialog between the government and the separatist group Free Aceh Movement (GAM) must be held before the decision to reopen a military command is made," Imam said.
"The government has the right to reestablish the special military command. But a one-sided decision could ruin any efforts for dialog," he said.
He said the Acehnese civilians had suffered a lot by military approaches. "GAM is also opposing the plan (to revive the military command)," he said.
Military operations commander in Aceh Brig. Gen. M. Djali Yusuf said in Lhokseumawe on Sunday that the TNI was considering the reestablishment of the Iskandarmuda military command, if Acehnese people agreed to its resumption.
The TNI leadership wanted to make sure that Acehnese people gave their full support to the plan.
A member of Aceh (provincial) Legislative Council (DPRD), Muhammad Nasir Jamil, said that he could understand that the absence of a special military command in Aceh had contributed to the growing conflict.
"If Aceh had its own military command, like it did in the past, it would be easier for the military to coordinate in the field and curb the clashes," said Nasir, reiterating the arguments voiced by those behind the plan to reestablish the military command.
Between the 1950s and the 1980s Aceh had its own military command named the Iskandarmuda Military command.
The military command was dissolved in the 1980s and the province of Aceh has since then been under the auspices of the Bukit Barisan Military Command based in the North Sumatra capital of Medan.
Nasir said that those proposing the idea wanted to settle the Aceh conflict peacefully and soon.
"I suggest that the new military command be named Tengku Cik Di Tiro Military Command, so that the Cik Di Tiro clan would have a stronger sense of belonging to the military command," he said.
Tengku Cik Di Tiro was an Acehnese independence fighter. One of the Tiro clan, Hasan Muhammad Tiro declared a self-proclaimed Independent Aceh on Dec. 4, 1976 in the United States.
All rebellious actions by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) have been inspired by his "fighting spirit" against the government.
Nasir said that the support from the Acehnese people would be crucial to the reestablishment of the special military command.
Recalling the government's plan to revive the Iskandarmuda Military Command, Nasir said that the plan was foiled following public protests.
"The office was ready at that time. Invitations for the ceremony had been circulated. The military command failed to be reestablished due to the civilians' protests," he said.
"The civilians were still traumatized by the military approaches conducted by the government at that time," he said.
Tengku Imam Syuja, who is also chairman of Muhammadiyah of the Aceh Province branch, said that the government must be very cautious with the plan. "Dialogs are preferable." --------------------
Eyebox:
Another round of peace talks between the government and GAM is scheduled to take place in Geneva in January next year. Former Indonesian foreign affairs minister Ali Alatas is reported to be leading the Indonesian negotiation team while Zaini Abdullah will head the GAM delegation.