Sunariah, Jakarta – Armed forces (TNI) chief General Endriartono Sutarto has question the desire by the leadership of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) for self-government, one of the pre-conditions for resolving the conflict between GAM and Indonesia.

Sutarto, who was interviewed after participating in a cabinet meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday February 23, explained that if self-government meant free and detached from the central government it means the same as independence. “Yeah that’s called independence”, he said laughing.

As has been reported, the GAM leadership has made a number of proposals to the Indonesian government to resolve the Aceh question. These include self-governance and the withdrawal of TNI troops from Aceh. The requests were presented during the second-round of talks with the Indonesian government which took place on February 21 in Helsinki.

According to Sutarto, if self-government means organising direct local government elections (Pilkada), “Yeah of course that’s already in process”, he said. The TNI he continued, would welcome it if GAM accepts the offer of special autonomy for Aceh. “If they (GAM) want to accept the Law on Special Autonomy it is something which we should warmly welcome, as long as it is not actually being done as a tactic, but in order to resolve [the Aceh question] and in the real interests of the Acehnese people”, he explained.

Sutarto explained that resolving the Aceh question does not have to be done by separating itself from Indonesia, or even by taking up arms. “It will [just] lead to casualties, for what?”, he explained at the same time saying that GAM and the government must continue to try to find the best solution to resolve the Aceh question. Sutarto however, does not agree with GAM’s request for TNI troops to be withdrawn from Aceh.

[Translated by James Balowski.]