---------------------------------------------------------- FREE for JOIN Indonesia Daily News Online via EMAIL: go to: http://www.indo-news.com/subscribe.html - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- The Indonesian Observer, 10th August 1999 Aceh Freedom Demands Intolerable: Agum JAKARTA (IO) - A high ranking military officer says that the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) will give a positive response to any demands from people in the troubled province of Aceh, as long as their demands are rational. But if people's demands are not tolerable, members of TNI are allowed to reject them, said Lieutenant General Agum Gumelar, who is Governor of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas). He remarked, there are many demands that still can be fulfilled by the government such as regional autonomy, distribution of wealth between central and regional government, and elimination of human rights violations. "But we have to declare that the calls for independence are not tolerable," Gumelar told reporters yesterday. He added, those who campaign for Aceh independence have indicated that they are rebel group. "That is possibly a rebel group. This is the responsibility of the whole nation to contend that rebel group," he said. Gumelar said that since the rebel group has used weapons to defend its demand, the TNI is given the responsibility to combat the group. He emphasized that the activities of soldiers in combating rebel group must not cause people's misery. "The activities must not create negative impacts on the people. It must not disadvantage and scare the people," he said. Many groups have regretted policies taken by the military in dealing with separatist movement in Aceh. Most of them claim the military's presence in Aceh has strengthened the calls for independence. Several others say that the Aceh problem cannot be solved through a military approach. They suggest that the Aceh problem should be solved through a dialog involving Aceh residents, the separatist movement, and the government. Roundtable dialog Commenting on possibility that the United Nations (UN) be involved in finding solution to Aceh problem, Gumelar said it is wrong to put the Aceh problem in similar proportion with the East Timor problem. "East Timor linked to the New York agreement. We have to respect the tripartite meeting. It is an international commitment. But Aceh is 100% owned by Indonesia. We can say that the Aceh problem is a domestic problem," he said. The three star general emphasized a dialog between the government and the separatist movement (GAM)-which is already familiar with weapons-could not take place. Gumelar added, the government should be able to understand the aspiration of the people. "If the demand is independence, I think it is not the demand of Aceh people. It is the demand of small part of Aceh people who have radical thoughts. We cannot tolerate that demand," he said. He reiterated, the government will not approve a proposed solution to Aceh problem that will also include element of the United Nations (UN). "Aceh is purely an integral part of Indonesia," he said. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 12 Aug 1999 jam 09:56:45 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
