01/04/2006
print
send
Last week the last contingent of Indonesian soldiers left the province of Banda
Aceh, located in the north of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. With the withdrawal
of 2,500 troops, years of militarization of the province and the last phase of
a process that began August 15 have come to a close with the signing of peace
agreements between the Indonesian government and GAM (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka) –
Free Aceh Movement – forces. This peace in the aftermath of the tsunami was welcomed
with a certain degree of surprise by international observers, amazed by the good
will expressed by both parties. Aceh military commander Supiadin A.S. reported
that 24,125 soldiers, the so-called ‘non-organic’ forces, were withdrawn from
the province. In addition to 9,100 law enforcement officers, 14,700 soldiers will
remain. Maarti Ahtisaari, the Finnish international mediator who in recent years
accompanied the efforts (which failed on more than one occasion) to reach an agreement,
praised the conduct of both the government and the rebels.
An overdose of confidence. Optimism reigned in the offices of AMM (Aceh Monitoring Mission) in Banda Aceh
that we visited two months ago, when disarmament was going through its third stage
and the approximately 3,000 former fighters, pardoned by general amnesty, were
standing by the agreements. Handing over weapons in exchange for compensation
in cash (about $100 per person) was going forward according to expectations. The
spokesperson for the international observers, Juri Laas, was enthusiastic and
spoke of a ‘more than satisfactory’ progress of the peace process following initial
– and understandable – suspicions. Also the mission’s deputy chief, Italian Renata
Tardioli, was pleased. She had followed the legal procedure of drawing up the
‘memorandum of understanding’ between GAM and the government. The document is
an interim draft agreement containing several points that, in addition to those
already mentioned, will have to be contemplated: the formation of political parties
and the calling of free elections; the establishment of a commission for truth
and reconciliation; reinstatement of the former GAM fighters in society; and the
province of Aceh’s right to 70% of the revenues coming in from exploitation of
the natural resources of hydrocarbons found in its territory. These provisions
are however subordinate to the Indonesian Parliament’s approval of the final text.
It is required to declare itself by the end of April.
The memory that can not be deleted. Many claim that the international observers’ optimistic enthusiasm would never
have marked the peace process if the December 26, 2004 catastrophe had not played
such a fundamental role in the intentions of the two belligerent sides. Nevertheless,
not even the tsunami will ever be able to make the people of Aceh forget 29 years
of war, during which both factions were responsible for brutal episodes of violence.
Soldiers suffered at the hands of the rebels, and the rebels suffered at the hands
of the soldiers. But more than anything else, it was the civilian population that
suffered. The terrible years of the DOM (Daerah Operasi Militer) carried out by
the Indonesian army exceeded any other act of retaliation in terms of breadth,
gravity and atrocity. The government intended that the operation be conducted
in order to crush GAM’s resistance and weaken the support the population gave
the rebels. During that decade (1989-1998) the death toll reached the quota of
7,727 victims, between rebels and civilians.
A government lacking in credibility. The representatives of Koalisi ('Coalition'), an organisation that includes
many others scattered thoroughly the province under its acronym, were interviewed
by PeaceReporter in their Banda Aceh office. Spokesperson Abdul Rahman Yakob
explained that the army’s violence has not subsided, even following the repression
of the DOM. After 1998 (and until October 2005) 3,258 cases of cursory, arbitrary
or non-judicial executions; 1,468 cases of arrests and arbitrary detentions; and
6,054 cases of torture have been reported. “An in-depth investigation of those
responsible for these crimes against humanity has never been carried out,” Yakob
explained. “This has created an overall and growing distrust of the Jakarta government
amongst Aceh residents. That is why people talk about “tragedy of civilisation”.
The concept of the modern State in Indonesia, as elsewhere, was introduced in
order to protect the rights of the citizens. But here the State has never proved
itself of being anything but that of a power structure capable of oppressing even
our humanity.”
printsend
Indonesian troops are leaving. The war in the province of Aceh has come to an end
Last week the last contingent of Indonesian soldiers left the province of Banda
Aceh, located in the north of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. With the withdrawal
of 2,500 troops, years of militarization of the province and the last phase of
a process that began August 15 have come to a close with the signing of peace
agreements between the Indonesian government and GAM (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka) –
Free Aceh Movement – forces. This peace in the aftermath of the tsunami was welcomed
with a certain degree of surprise by international observers, amazed by the good
will expressed by both parties. Aceh military commander Supiadin A.S. reported
that 24,125 soldiers, the so-called ‘non-organic’ forces, were withdrawn from
the province. In addition to 9,100 law enforcement officers, 14,700 soldiers will
remain. Maarti Ahtisaari, the Finnish international mediator who in recent years
accompanied the efforts (which failed on more than one occasion) to reach an agreement,
praised the conduct of both the government and the rebels.
An overdose of confidence. Optimism reigned in the offices of AMM (Aceh Monitoring Mission) in Banda Aceh
that we visited two months ago, when disarmament was going through its third stage
and the approximately 3,000 former fighters, pardoned by general amnesty, were
standing by the agreements. Handing over weapons in exchange for compensation
in cash (about $100 per person) was going forward according to expectations. The
spokesperson for the international observers, Juri Laas, was enthusiastic and
spoke of a ‘more than satisfactory’ progress of the peace process following initial
– and understandable – suspicions. Also the mission’s deputy chief, Italian Renata
Tardioli, was pleased. She had followed the legal procedure of drawing up the
‘memorandum of understanding’ between GAM and the government. The document is
an interim draft agreement containing several points that, in addition to those
already mentioned, will have to be contemplated: the formation of political parties
and the calling of free elections; the establishment of a commission for truth
and reconciliation; reinstatement of the former GAM fighters in society; and the
province of Aceh’s right to 70% of the revenues coming in from exploitation of
the natural resources of hydrocarbons found in its territory. These provisions
are however subordinate to the Indonesian Parliament’s approval of the final text.
It is required to declare itself by the end of April. The memory that can not be deleted. Many claim that the international observers’ optimistic enthusiasm would never
have marked the peace process if the December 26, 2004 catastrophe had not played
such a fundamental role in the intentions of the two belligerent sides. Nevertheless,
not even the tsunami will ever be able to make the people of Aceh forget 29 years
of war, during which both factions were responsible for brutal episodes of violence.
Soldiers suffered at the hands of the rebels, and the rebels suffered at the hands
of the soldiers. But more than anything else, it was the civilian population that
suffered. The terrible years of the DOM (Daerah Operasi Militer) carried out by
the Indonesian army exceeded any other act of retaliation in terms of breadth,
gravity and atrocity. The government intended that the operation be conducted
in order to crush GAM’s resistance and weaken the support the population gave
the rebels. During that decade (1989-1998) the death toll reached the quota of
7,727 victims, between rebels and civilians. A government lacking in credibility. The representatives of Koalisi ('Coalition'), an organisation that includes
many others scattered thoroughly the province under its acronym, were interviewed
by PeaceReporter in their Banda Aceh office. Spokesperson Abdul Rahman Yakob
explained that the army’s violence has not subsided, even following the repression
of the DOM. After 1998 (and until October 2005) 3,258 cases of cursory, arbitrary
or non-judicial executions; 1,468 cases of arrests and arbitrary detentions; and
6,054 cases of torture have been reported. “An in-depth investigation of those
responsible for these crimes against humanity has never been carried out,” Yakob
explained. “This has created an overall and growing distrust of the Jakarta government
amongst Aceh residents. That is why people talk about “tragedy of civilisation”.
The concept of the modern State in Indonesia, as elsewhere, was introduced in
order to protect the rights of the citizens. But here the State has never proved
itself of being anything but that of a power structure capable of oppressing even
our humanity.”Luca Galassi
Gianluca Ursini
Gianluca Ursini
Topic:
Related articles:
Most discussed topics:
Most frequently used keywords:
