Scholar queries plan to put GAM on terrorist list

Scholar queries plan to put GAM on terrorist list

Tiarma Siboro and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta

The government's intention to submit the Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
to be included on the United Nations (UN) terrorist list drew
criticism on Saturday, with a scholar calling it a move to seek
international legitimacy for the military to crush the rebels.

International law expert Bantarto Bandoro said the move would
not win worldwide support, as the separatist movement was not
considered a threat to international interests, but a group
fighting for independence from Jakarta.

"Perhaps the government is right by saying that GAM has
created terror among the public, but the international community
understand it as a movement to break away from Jakarta. It has
never posed threats to international interests elsewhere in the
world," he said.

"On paper, it is possible for Indonesia to ask the UN to
declare GAM as a terrorist group, but practically and
politically, it will not win significant support," Bantarto told
The Jakarta Post.

Jakarta imposed martial law on the resource-rich province on
May 19 to allow for a major military offensive against the
separatists, who have been fighting for independence since 1976.
The martial law expires in November, but the Indonesian Military
(TNI) has asked for an extension to enable the Acehnese to
exercise their right to vote in the general elections and the
presidential election next year.

"The government requires legitimacy from the international
community, as there has been no significant progress after more
than three months of the military operation. No top GAM leaders
have been arrested so far," he said.

Bantarto said GAM, as well as other separatist groups such as
the MNLF in the Philippines and the IRA in Ireland, was far
different from terror groups like al-Qaeda, which had an
international network.

"Al-Qaeda developed an international network in a bid to
attack foreign interests and cause terror in the world," he said.

Despite the challenge, the Indonesian government was confident
it would finally win international support for its attempt to
have GAM listed with the UN as a terrorist group.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Saturday
that the government possessed enough evidence to convince the
world that GAM was involved in a series of terror attacks across
the country.

"It will be appropriate for the international community to
acknowledge GAM as a terror group, as terrorists are not
necessarily linked to the al-Qaeda network," Hassan said.

He said a series of bomb attacks allegedly perpetrated by GAM
members could be categorized as indiscriminate, politically
motivated and violent, which fit the definition of acts of
terror.

The General Assembly Resolution 49/60 issued on Dec. 9, 1994
says acts of terror include crimes that threaten a nation's
territorial integrity and security.

"The state members solemnly reaffirm their unequivocal
condemnation of all acts, methods, and practices of terrorism as
criminal and unjustifiable, wherever and by whomever committed,
including those which jeopardize the friendly relations among
states and people and threaten the territorial integrity and
security of states," the resolution says.

However, Hassan stressed that the government would only
proceed with the plan only if the legal process against exiled
GAM leaders in Sweden failed.