TNI concerned by weapons entering Aceh

SURABAYA (JP): Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Wiranto claimed on Friday there was a recent increase in weapon smuggling from overseas to Acehnese separatist guerrillas.

He did not go into detail, but said: "TNI, with all its might, is continuing its effort to prevent the flow, so the Aceh question need not be protracted."

Speaking after installing Vice Adm. Achmad Sutjipto as the navy chief to replace Adm. Widodo A.S. here, Wiranto denied there were more Crack Riot Troops (PPRM) deployed in the troubled province than the number of personnel sent there during the 10- year-long military operation which began in 1989.

"It can't be (higher). During the military operation, all of the personnel deployed were military members. Now police officers (are posted there)," he said.

"It was a military operation then, but what we have now is a public order operation. Its commander was a member of the military then, but a police officer now."

Wiranto explained that 600 marines were sent to Aceh recently to detect and prevent the smuggling. "The marines are more able (for the task) than the Army. I am sure that with other tasks, too, they would succeed."

Antara quoted Wiranto as saying marines were needed because most of the smuggling was through coastal areas.

"For security in coastal areas, the force to do the job is the marines. The marines do not spend their time hanging out in downtown areas in cities."

Meanwhile, TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif said the demands that the PPRM be pulled out of Aceh because they merely exacerbated the situation was the result of propaganda of the separatist Free Aceh Movement.

"In actuality, the Aceh residents want security to be restored," he said as quoted by Antara. "We all know the GPK use weapons and intimidate the people," he said, using the military's name for the separatists.

"These (demands) are their propaganda."

He blasted those responsible for spreading rumors the PPRM wreaked havoc in the province. "It is impossible the TNI and the National Police would create chaos."

In Jakarta, a group of activists and Acehnese demonstrated on Friday demanding the military pullout from Aceh. Calling themselves the Students' Solidarity for Aceh Case (Somaka), the some 80 youths marched from the Tani monument in Central Jakarta to the nearby ground of National Monument (Monas) carrying five mock coffins.

In Sumedang, West Java, Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid reiterated that neither the government nor the military would yield to the pressure for the military pullout from Aceh. He said the military personnel are bound by their oath to protect the people and the national sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Antara reported from the capital Banda Aceh that the liaison office of the National Commission on Human Rights in Aceh would be upgraded to a representative office in August.

It was confirmed during the arrival of commission members, Saparinah Sadli and Miriam Budiardjo in the province on Wednesday, head of the commission's liaison office, Dahlan, said on Friday.

"They came here to follow up on the plan to upgrade the liaison office into a representative office," Dahlan said, adding the commission members also visited the location of the new office.

He said the representative office would be staffed by youth leaders and activists who helped reveal human rights violations which occurred in Aceh.

He declined to name the head of the representative office.

Dahlan noted the commission decided to open a representative office because human rights abuses continued to occur, even after the military operation in the province was halted last year.

The liaison office was set up early this year following revelations of human rights violations in the regencies of Pidie, North Aceh and East Aceh.

The opening of the representative office will enable staff members to act on reported violations without needing to relay them to the commission's headquarters in Jakarta.

He explained that the liaison office was not empowered to settle human rights issues without first reporting them to the main headquarters.

In the past few months, an estimated 75,000 Aceh residents have fled their homes to mosques and schools, citing military violence. Volunteers fear many more will be displaced because there is no sign of withdrawal of troops.

Ethnic clashes also have occurred periodically in West Kalimantan. Earlier this year, more than 200 people were killed and thousands forced to flee to refugee centers.

From the capital city of Pontianak, West Kalimantan Police chief Col. Chairul Rasyid said a "sweep" of firearms in the province would continue until about a week before the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in November.

"One week before the session, the owners and makers of those firearms must surrender the weapons. If they fail to abide by the deadline, tough actions will be taken," he said as quoted by Antara. (04/43/nur/swe)