Indonesia Opposes External Intervention in Aceh: Minister

The Indonesian government would not tolerate any intervention from external forces into the Aceh problem, but it would be cooperative with any parties including the United Nation (UN) to facilitate peace talks between Jakarta and the Aceh rebel group in a bid to deal with the problem under the unitary state of Indonesia framework, a senior official said Wednesday.

Coordinating Minister for Politics, Social and Security affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told a press conference that Jakarta is concerned over the recent developments in the western-most province and appealed all parties to restraint to avoid further casualties.

Indicating not to let the province from being independent, Yudhoyono said, "The Indonesian government will not respond to the Acehnese demand (to separate from Indonesia) emotionally but rationally. The government thinks that if the problem is related to the sovereignty of the state (Aceh problem), it is not the executives' business only, but also the parliament (DPR), the Assembly (MPR) and all the Indonesian people's businesses. All parties in the country should pay their attention to that (Aceh)," Yudhoyono said.

"We will not tolerate any intervention from external forces. But we are ready to be cooperative with them, such as the United Nations to tackle with the problem peacefully. This is also referred to the problem in Irian Jaya. But all talks should be carried out under the framework of the unitary state of Indonesia, " he said.

He reiterated that the best solution for Aceh is a wide ranging autonomy that would be implemented in early next year. "The implementation of a wide ranging autonomy would be the best way out to tackle the problem in Aceh," he said.

Yudhoyono also said the upcoming signing of the cease-fire accord is adjourned until late this month.

"We received wirenews from facilitators from Switzerland that the date for the signing of humanitarian pause agreement would be adjourned. It can not take place on November 16-17 as set before due to recent situation in Aceh," he said.

The predominantly Muslim province has been demanding for independence over past 24 years. And a leading separatist group there, the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has been stepping up their fighting against Jakarta, in particular, in the wake of the falling of th eSoeharto regime in 1998.

Representatives from Jakarta and the rebel group reached a cease-fire agreement or so called humanitarian pause deal in Switzerland in May this year and extended in September in a bid to reduce tension and violence. But it seems the accord doesn't work well.

Both sides are initially scheduled to sign an extension accord on November 16-17 in Switzerland.

Police said that since the signing of the accord, the rebels have intensified their attack against the security personnel and the casualties increased significantly since then.

On Tuesday, some 100,000 people gathered in Banda Aceh, capital of Aceh province, and they read out a seven-point declaration demanding the central government restore the sovereignty of Aceh as "a free and separate nation."

The organizers also warned that if the demands are not met by November 26, they will call on all Acehnese to organize peaceful mass strikes from November 27 to December 3.

The declaration also included a call on the international community and the United Nations to intervene to help find a political, security and humanitarian solution to the problems in Aceh.

Yudhoyono hoped that problem in Aceh could still be solved peacefully through a dialogue measures.

"Actually, we have three options to deal with the problem, namely extension of the humanitarian pause with some improvements; the cutting of the cease-fire agreement and find out another solution and the last option is imposing civilian emergency in Aceh," he said.

"But we think that security approach in Aceh will cost too much. Well, the price will be too expensive," he said, indicating Jakarta has not decided yet which option would be taken. "But we don't think about other step but extending humanitarian pause agreement," he added.

The day before, police asked the government to review the cease- fire accord with the Acehnese rebel, the GAM has misused the deal to "steal chance" and mobilizing power to attack against the security personnel there.

It also demanded that Jakarta declare the GAM as a separatist gang that should be cracked down by stern measures and through law enforcement.

Spokesman of the national police Brig. Gen. Saleh Sa'af said from August 1998 to November 2000 as many as 198 police personnel have been killed, 316 injured and 25 missing. From military personnel (mostly Army) 75 personnel were killed, 218 wounded and 18 missing.

Meanwhile, during the same period, 660 Acehnese civilians also were killed, 307 injured and 159 missing. In addition, as many as 582 members of the GAM have been arrested and they have been put under police custody for further legal process.



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