RI wins ASEAN support for Aceh war

RI wins ASEAN support for Aceh war

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Phnom Penh

Indonesia won full support from the Association of Southeast Asia
Nations (ASEAN) for its fight against the armed rebellion in
Aceh.

In a joint communique of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM)
here on Tuesday, all ten ASEAN foreign ministers gave their
support for the integrity of Indonesia's territory, including
Aceh, where Indonesia has, since May 19, imposed martial law to
flush out and destroy the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Recognizing that some ASEAN member countries' territories have
been used as transit points for arms smuggling for the
separatists, the foreign ministers promised to do their utmost to
minimize arms smuggling in their respective territories.

"We pledge our support to deny the separatist movement access
to means of violence through the prevention of arms smuggling to
Aceh province," said Article 23 communique.

The 36th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting was officially closed with
the issuance of the Communique addressing both security and
economic issues in the region.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said that Aceh was
one of the issues that was discussed intently during the
ministerial retreat on Wednesday as an integral part of the two-
day ministerial meeting agenda.

"We briefed other ASEAN ministers on the issue and the latest
developments in the province and everyone has been very
supportive of Indonesia," the minister said.

The official declaration of support was expected to minimize
any possible criticisms against the ongoing military operation
since it has been under close scrutiny of the international
community, which is concerned about human rights abuses during
the offensive.

The political support will also provide a stronger basis for
Indonesia in asking for assistance from its neighbors to help
prevent GAM leaders from hiding or taking refuge in the region.

"We recognize all efforts by the Indonesian government to
restore peace and order in Aceh," the statement said.

Indonesia also will likely seek support from the ASEAN
Regional Forum (ARF) meeting on Wednesday between the ASEAN
ministers with the grouping's 13 dialog partners, including the
United States, Russia and the European Union.

Human rights organizations in the United States have strongly
urged Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is set to attend the
ARF meeting, to press Indonesia to cease hostilities in Aceh.

The ASEAN communique also mentioned that the countries "place
particular importance on international cooperation against piracy
and other threats to maritime security and looked forward to
discussing these critical issues at ARF with a view to the
issuance of a statement in this regard."

Hassan said on Monday that arms smuggling did not recognize
countries' boundaries because arms could be smuggled to Indonesia
from any part of the world and there would have to be
international cooperation to curb it.