DATE=11/9/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDONESIA - ACEH (L ONLY
NUMBER=2-255958
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Indonesia's President has cut short his
whirlwind tour in Southeast Asia as calls for
independence grow in the restive province of Aceh. A
massive rally was held in Aceh Monday to demand a
referendum on independence for the province. As VOA
Southeast Asia Correspondent Gary Thomas reports, the
new president's stand on Aceh is bringing him into
direct conflict with the Indonesian Armed Forces.
TEXT: Indonesian officials said President Abdurrahman
Wahid Tuesday abruptly broke off his eight-nation
Southeast Asia tour to return to Jakarta, in part
because of the developing situation in Aceh.
Hundreds of thousands of Acehnese rallied in the
provincial capital Monday to demand the right to vote
on independence. Many Acehnese feel the Indonesian
government has exploited the province's rich resources
without sharing the wealth.
Mr. Wahid, who assumed office last month, fanned
Acehnese nationalist sentiment when he said Aceh might
be entitled to such a referendum, just as voters of
East Timor had. East Timor voted overwhelmingly in
August to break away from Indonesia.
But Mr. Wahid's policy on Aceh faces open opposition
from the powerful armed forces.
In a telephone interview, the armed forces spokesman,
Major General Sudrajat, called for a dialogue with the
Acehnese on redressing past wrongs. But he adamantly
dismissed as unrealistic any idea of either a
referendum or independence for Aceh.
// Sudrajat act //
So then the Indonesians - especially the Indonesian
Armed Forces - who have the duty to maintain the
sovereignty of the nation have to take a stand that
the independence is not possible for Aceh. And the
referendum is not the way to solve the problem,
because the problem is unjustness. So the problem of
this unjust policy has to be discussed by the
leadership mechanism.
// end act //
General Sudrajat said Aceh is different from either
East Timor - which he referred to by a shortened name,
Tim-Tim - or another restive province, Irian Jaya. He
said President Wahid, popularly known as Gus Dur,
should realize that.
// Sudrajat act //
But Aceh is a different case, and Irian Jaya is a
different case. It is totally different. So I'm sorry
that President Gus Dur states that if Tim-Tim (East
Timor) can be done, why not Aceh? So I am sorry to
say, sir, that President Gus Dur should carefully read
Tim-Tim to be completely different than Aceh.
// end act //
The military spokesman added that the armed forces are
also not comfortable with the civilian government's
order of a troop withdrawal from Aceh. He said the
withdrawal invites increasing attacks by separatist
rebels. General Sudrajat said the government should
take all views into account, including that of the
military.
// Sudrajat Act //
So this indicates that the less military presence or
security apparatus presence there, the more casualties
or the more victims are going to happen. So that's
what we fear that we are not comfortable with,
withdrawing the troops. But again, Mr. President has
ordered this, and we have to follow. But again we are
going to see what happens. But we would like to
consider that the Aceh issues and problems have to be
comprehensively taken in by so many factors and
considerations. And we have to be very seriously
handling Aceh. It is not only decided by one person,
especially the president.
// end act //
Acehnese activists have accused the Indonesian armed
forces of human rights abuses in Aceh in a nine-year-
long campaign by the previous government to crush the
separatist movement. (Signed)
NEB/GPT/FC/PLM
09-Nov-1999 05:49 AM EDT (09-Nov-1999 1049 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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