The Government of Indonesia has and will continue
to provide and maintain security in Aceh so
as to assure a secure working environment for
the international relief workers and volunteers
to assist in the relief program.
In response to the natural disaster in Aceh
and North Sumatra, the Indonesian Military (TNI)
have been the backbone of the humanitarian assistance
in the devastated region, cooperating closely
with various agencies and institutions as well
as with international aid agencies and foreign
military personnel. Since the outset of the
disaster, the TNI have been in the front line
in the provision of aid to the victims. Thus
the main role of the TNI in Aceh, as instructed
by Indonesia President Yudhoyono, is to conduct
humanitarian effort to the disaster area.
It has been wrongly asserted lately that the
TNI have been conducting military operations
in Aceh to fight and eliminate the separatist
movement of Aceh capitalizing on the disorder
from the disaster. The fact of the matter is,
apart from its duty of conducting humanitarian
assistance, the TNI together with the National
Police also have the responsibility to protect
and uphold law and order in the region, especially
to safeguard the humanitarian assistance so
that it reaches its intended destination. In
this context the TNI have taken a defensive
posture to protect the operation and are only
on alert against attacks by insurgents.
Reports indicate that several incidents have
occurred during which the separatist group attacked
and disrupted the supply lines of the humanitarian
aid in remote areas in Aceh. The government
considers the provocative actions currently
taken by the disparate separatist movement are
as a means to attract international attention,
currently present in Indonesia, for their own
cause and at the same time collect supplies
for their own needs. Claims of a unilateral
ceasefire by the separatists is merely a smoke
screen to divert the blame to Indonesia that
is currently facing a mammoth task to lessen
the victim's burden.
TNI Commander, Gen. Endriartono has appealed
to the separatists to lay down their arms and
jointly help the people of Aceh who have been
hit hard by the disaster. He has also promised
to provide humanitarian assistance for the separatists
who have been affected by the disaster.
Canberra, 7January 2005
