M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – The TNI (armed forces) fully supports the government’s policy of seeking a resolution to the Aceh question which is peaceful, dignified and comprehensive. With regard to the withdrawal of troops, the TNI will leave it in the government’s hands.
“We also hope that all [sides] will support resolving the Aceh [conflict] peacefully”, said the head of the TNI’s information centre, Major General Kohirin Suganda, following a friendly discussion with journalists at the TNI’s Media Centre on Jalan Teuku Umar in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday July 6.
Suganda’s statement was in response to one of the draft points reached in the negotiations between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) which states that the TNI will withdraw non-organic troops from Aceh together with the confiscation of GAM’s weapons.
So far the TNI has not yet able to determine when GAM can be incapacitated. The TNI’s basic task he explained is to carry out the operation to restore security in accordance with the integrated operation1 to the point of reducing GAM to the lowest possible point. “Now, the way it is, is the time frame is a process, it can’t be calculated exactly”, said Suganda.
Army spokesperson Brigadier General Hotmangaraja Panjaitan meanwhile, explained that there are presently around 20,000 army personnel in Aceh. These troops are non-organic troops. The total number of GAM personnel remaining is estimated at 2,000 personnel.
“They still want to try to exist by conducting brutal operations in the hope [they] can counter-balance their limited numbers. This is what we are preventing”, said Panjaitan.
According to Panjaitan, based on military experience both domestically and overseas, groups, which are already in a tight corner, are usually prepared to surrender their arms. So if up until now there are still many GAM members who refuse to surrender their arms then it is because of other factors.
“It may be there are other factors so that they don’t want to surrender [their] arms. Perhaps they are afraid there will be [acts of] revenge. But we are open to receive their return [to society]”, said Panjaitan.
Panjaitan is convinced that GAM members would be ready to come down from the mountains if they are given a free choice. The TNI has already made facilities available to rehabilitate their members. If they are ready to return to society, the TNI will provide them with protection. (iy)
Notes:
1. Integrated Operation – the operation to restore government administration, the humanitarian operation, the law enforcement operation, economic recovery and the operation to restore security.
[Translated by James Balowski.]
