Supreme Advisory Council approves government's Aceh action
Supreme Advisory Council approves government's Aceh action
JAKARTA (JP): Supreme Advisory Council (DPA) chairman Achmad
Tirtosudiro said on Friday that the council had given its
political approval and support to the government's policy on
Aceh.
"National security has become of paramount importance. If the
government can maintain a stabilized situation nationwide, I
expect the political elite will stop condemning the government,"
Achmad told reporters after meeting with top security authorities
at his office.
Attending the meeting were Coordinating Minister for
Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
Minister of Defense Mahfud M.D., Minister of Home Affairs and
Regional Autonomy Surjadi Soedirdja, Indonesian Military (TNI)
Commander Adm. Widodo AS, National Police chief Gen. Surojo
Bimantoro and the TNI's Strategic Intelligence Body's (Bais) Vice
Marshall Ian Santoso Perdanakusuma.
The government has promoted six policies as a solution to the
strife in Aceh -- political, economic, social, legal, security
and an information approach.
The government also recently announced that it would crack
down on separatist rebels in the province by launching a limited
military operation.
After public outcry, government officials then toned down
their talk and identified the operation with a more docile tag as
a "limited security operation" in which police would still be at
the forefront.
Suprin
Meanwhile in Aceh, police said on Friday they were stepping up
an investigation into the death of Suprin Sulaiman, 37, who was
murdered along with Tengku Al-Kamal, 45, and driver Amiruddin in
South Aceh on Thursday afternoon. They were found dead in their
car.
Suprin was a legal advisor of Aceh's Coalition NGOs for Human
Rights.
"The three were found dead on the road linking Jl. Negara
Tapak Tuan to Blang Pidie in South Aceh regency. Their bodies all
bore gunshot wounds," Cinta Meunasah II Operation spokesman Adj.
Sr. Comr. Sad Harunantyo said.
The three had left the South Aceh Police station after giving
a statement.
The officer further explained that Tengku Al-Kamal was a
witness in a rape case involving five women who suggested that
the rape was perpetrated by members of the police force.
Harunantyo claimed that the women had changed their testimony
several times and were probably separatist rebels who were lying
about the case.
The murder of Suprin has raised condemnation at home and
abroad such as from the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights
Association (PBHI), Aceh's Coalition NGOs for Human Rights and
the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM).
The United States Embassy in Jakarta also said in a statement
on Friday that America deeply regretted the killing and urged the
government "to investigate the deaths and punish those
responsible".
"Suprin Sulaiman's organization, the Coalition for Human
Rights NGOs, was a USAID grantee.
"We express our most sincere condolences to the families of
all of them and we urge all individuals on all sides to commit
themselves to finding a peaceful solution to the conflicts in
Aceh," the embassy said. (edt/02/50/51/)