The unrest in Aceh

The military presence in Aceh during the time it was declared a military operations zone has left a psychological climate of hostility between the people and the military. Both sides have left signs of hostility that cannot be easily removed through acts of symbolism. This explains why the troops leaving the region on Monday were seen off with a hail of stones.

The rioting and looting sparked by Monday's incident continued on Tuesday and spread to other areas. At this point, what is happening in Aceh is comparable to what happened recently in Cilacap, Central Java, and Bondowoso, East Java. People were venting their anger through acts of looting and destruction.

Feelings of bitterness and frustration, as well as daily hardships, have made Indonesians -- and not only in Aceh -- impatient. Our society has come to resemble a short-fused Molotov cocktail. The smallest spark can trigger an explosion.

The current unrest in Aceh raises a dilemma. On the one hand, the unrest could bolster the argument that without the imposition of a military operations zone status on the region, Aceh will remain a hot spot for trouble. On the other hand, the trauma caused by the mistakes made in past military operations could make the security officers hesitant in their efforts to enforce the law.

As far as we are concerned, though -- and no matter how the situation develops in Aceh -- the military operations zone status must not be reimposed on the region. The supposition that Aceh is a hotbed of revolt must be abandoned. The people of Aceh are not uprising. They are merely feeling aggravated because they have been treated unfairly in almost every respect.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta