Jakarta – The Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Affairs, Widodo Adi Sutjipto, says that his office is in the process of putting together a recommendation on Aceh when the state of civil emergency ends on November 18.
“But, there will be one recommendation that we will [definitely] be putting forward, that the integrated operation should continue”, said Widodo in announcing the results of a visit to the Regional Civil Emergency Authority (PDSP) in Aceh.
During his visit to Aceh, as well as meeting with the PDSP Widodo also met with the Regional Civil Emergency Administrator, religious leaders, public figures, academics and youth leaders to collect material in order to formulate the recommendation.
“What is clear is that a resolution to the Aceh question must use two points of reference, that is how to promote the formulation of a special law on Aceh autonomy and how to finish off the Free Aceh Movement (GAM)”, said Widodo at the State Palace after accompanying President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to receive leaders of Regional Representative Councils on Tuesday November 2.
According to Widodo, at present the number of GAM members who have yet to surrender totals more than 2,500 people with an armed force of 850. Widodo admitted that there are still concentrations of GAM forces in some areas.
Widodo also raised a number of alternatives including extending the state of civil emergency, extending the state of civil emergency in areas were GAM is still a problem and reducing the status but continuing law enforcement and security restoration operations.
Peace process
A number of non-government organisations (NGOs) meanwhile, are urging the government to evaluate and repeal the state of civil emergency in Aceh. They believe that it is time for the government to promote conditions towards peace.
This was revealed in a discussion titled “Evaluating the State of Martial Law and Civil Emergency in Aceh to Promote Peace” which was held on Tuesday November 2. A number of NGOs including Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial), the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), the Institute for Press and Development Studies (LSPP), the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), the Association of Indonesian Women for Justice (LBH Apik), Kalyanamitra (a women’s NGO) and the Indonesian NGO Coalition for International Human Rights Advocacy (HRWG) have issued a statement of concern calling for a peace process to be initiated in Aceh.
As well as repealing the state of civil emergency, the government is also being asked open up the broadest possible access to Aceh by all parties, foreign and domestic, as well as providing more space for civil society.
Kontras working coordinator Usman Hamid said that they hope that if the state of civil emergency is repealed the government will immediately initiate a consultative dialogue with all elements of society, public figures, women’s groups, students and academics, in order to promote the peace process.
An Acehnese member of the People’s Consultative Assembly, Ahmad Farhan Hamid, said that what ever the outcome is of the government’s evaluation is, the most important thing is for the government to guarantee security for civil society. (SIE/INU)
[Translated by James Balowski.]
