The unrest in Aceh

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