Source of terror is 'from state, not rebels'

JAKARTA (JP): Human rights violations by security officers is a source of terror in the restive province of Aceh, rather than separatist rebels who the government tends to blame for all the trouble, a rights advocate said on Saturday.

The Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) chairman, Hendardi, said the government continually claims that the enemy of the Acehnese is the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

"Ironically, the Acehnese are more afraid of the military and police than they are of GAM rebels," he said in a one-day talk on terrorism and democracy held by the Poros Indonesia Group.

Violence committed by security personnel, mainly by the military, he said, in their role "as agents of Indonesian unity", had led to the belief that the idea of "a united Indonesia was terrifying in itself".

The military and police have, however, defended their actions in violating all international norms and conventions on human rights on the grounds of self-defense, he alleged.

"This has only resulted in the continuing resistance of the Acehnese and a circle of impunity."

An Aceh provincial legislator of the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Teungku Bachrum Manyak shared his opinion on the prolonged conflict in Aceh, claiming it was orchestrated by the central government.

"Only well-trained people could kill many public figures, such as ulemas, in Aceh. The killers must be professional," Bachrum said, adding that GAM, however, had been blamed for the murders.

He did not explain what he meant by professional, but said that the killers were all well-trained in military techniques and self-defense.

Bachrum acknowledged that GAM members were also part of the violence, which should be dealt with by the police, not by the military.

The unrest in Aceh has been provoked by injustice and the fact that the government has yet to implement any (positive) political decision on Aceh, he said.

"The government has proposed giving special autonomy to Aceh. President Abdurrahman Wahid has also said the concept of the special autonomy would be finalized in January 2000. The promise has yet to be fulfilled.

"Just stop disappointing and humiliating us. We have suffered a lot," Bachrum said, referring to the government's latest plan to impose a state of civil emergency in Aceh.

According to Hendardi, fulfilling the Acehnese people's aspirations to have their rights protected and their basic freedoms upheld were the key to a peaceful settlement.

"The police are in the forefront of the government's will to seek a peaceful way out of the conflict."

Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said in Jakarta on Friday that his office was still awaiting the result of further investigation into alleged human rights abuses in Aceh.

"We expect the probe to be completed soon. The sluggish efforts made by the government in handling the rights violations has become one of the concerns exacerbating the crisis in Aceh," he said.

"There is one condition under which the efforts can restore the Acehnese people's faith in the law," he added.

Marzuki further said that the joint team of investigators was currently probing the possibility of the involvement of high- ranking military officers in the murder of Muslim preacher Tengku Bantaqiah and his students. (02/07/bby/edt)