Yuswardi A. Suud, Banda Aceh – On November 1 a number of ministers from the Indonesian Cabinet of Unity arrived in Aceh to seek input before deciding on whether or not to extend the state of civil emergency in Aceh which will end on November 19.
The delegation included the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Widodo AS, the Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare, Alwi Shihab, the Minister of Home Affairs, M. Ma’ruf, Indonesian Police Chief General Da’i Bachtiar and Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh. Upon arriving in Aceh, the ministers immediately held a closed meeting with local government officials which lasted some two hours.
Following the meeting, Widodo told journalists that they had obtained a variety of inputs on the question of determining Aceh’s status following the end of the state of civil emergency. He refused however to give details on what inputs they received.
According to Widodo, the conditions in Aceh are gradually improving. He said that the implementation of the security operation in Aceh had succeeded in reducing the forces of the armed Free Aceh Movement (GAM). On the economy, the government will be considering whether to reopen the Asean Aceh Fertilizer factory which was recently closed down.
With regard to extending the state of civil emergency in Aceh, Widodo said that it was part of the evaluation which they were conducting.
After meeting with members of the government, the ministers then held a dialogue with a number of social groups at the Aceh governor’s residence.
The head of the Ulamas Consultative Council (council of religious leaders) Muslim Ibrahim asked the government to restart negotiations with GAM. According to Ibrahim, the Aceh conflict cannot be resolved by arms. As a reference he pointed to the experience in a number of countries where they have confronted a guerrilla war. “I have yet to hear of a guerrilla war which can be resolved by the use of arms”, said Ibrahim to Tempo and the state news agency Antara.
According to Ibrahim, the Acehnese people don’t care what kind of status is put into place in the province. What is important he said, was that people wanted peace and an end to hostilities so that they can pursue their livelihoods without the constant fear of armed clashes.
Ibrahim is therefore asking the government to give an opportunity to civil groups to play a greater role in resolving the Aceh problem. He suggested to the government that they form a team directly under the authority of the president to restart the dialogue with GAM which will involve all elements of Acehnese society. “Aceh is not the property of GAM, it is also not the sole property of the government, but something we own together”, said Ibrahim.
With regard to the proposal that the government reopen the dialogue with GAM, Widodo declined to comment. He said only that to date the government had implemented the integrated operation as just one of the ways to resolve the problem Aceh.
Earlier, Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh had asked the government to extend the state of civil emergency in Aceh. Puteh proposed three option, an extension of the civil emergency for six more months, an extension of three months or maintaining a civil emergency in those regencies which are still considered to be areas of conflict.
[Translated by James Balowski.]
