Whither Aceh?

Whither Aceh?

In the latest turn of events in the province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam following the death of the commander of Free Aceh Movement (GAM), Teungku Abdullah Syafi'ie, in a gunfight with units of the Indonesian Army, Syafi'ie's deputy, Muzakir Manaf, has been appointed to take his place.

Another development of circumstances marking a new phase in this province is the government's decision to establish a military regional command, which has had mixed reactions.

Earlier, the province had seen a very significant and far- reaching development with the acceptance and enforcement of a special autonomy law for Indonesia's westernmost province.

As turmoil, armed conflicts and violent acts are continuing in Aceh, all interested parties involved -- the governor, the central government and GAM -- must follow up on what they have done to bring peace to this region.

In this context, the decision to reestablish a military regional command in Aceh, understandably, cannot just be accepted by the Acehnese. As it is sensitive, it must be intensively discussed by the central government, the local administration, their working partners and other relevant segments of the community.

Of course, the process will be time-consuming but the result will be most effective and feasible, given the accumulation of problems in the present transitional period.

On top of that, the reestablishment of a military command in Aceh must be considered in the context of drastic and frequently unforeseeable regional and global development.

At this juncture, all parties involved must critically consider whether the presence of the Army in the interest of the state's security and defense will be effective in the form of a military regional command or perhaps in other structural forms, especially because the Army, like other organizations and institutions in the country, is now in the process of reform.

-- Kompas, Jakarta