The Bulletin, 09 July 2003: "Indonesia Replies"

Your article by John Martinkus, 'To hell and back' (July 1), is a good example of why the Indonesian government has been forced to ban foreign journalists from reporting in Aceh. In this case, firstly, the abuse of a 'press card': an accreditation of "Not for Aceh" in anyone's language means only one thing; and secondly, that the privilege is abused even further by his taking one side only. It is no secret that there are two sides to every situation of conflict, but The Bulletin's obsession with covering only the interests of the separatist movements in Aceh and elsewhere in Indonesia is deeply disturbing, bad for informed debate, dishonest and, indeed, poses myriad other questions.

We note your comment about a "campaign of terror against civilians" unleashed by the Indonesian government, and so blatantly a lie. It is equally unfortunate that The Bulletin has chosen to turn a blind eye to the countless number of schoolteachers, village heads, civil servants, retired military personnel and members of their families - men, women and children - slaughtered by the GAM (the numbers increase daily), and of the civilians they have killed for refusing to support their movement or for having assisted the military or police; and to their burning of hundreds of schools. Nor is there any acknowledgement of the separatist rebels' long history of atrocities, of violence, intimidation, abduction and killings perpetrated against the people of Aceh. Well may we ask: what is the hidden agenda?