Banda Aceh – The Banda Aceh Legal Aid Institute has expressed regret over a statement made by Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen Endriartono Sutarto, in which he accused an Acehnese of being behind the recent clash between the army and police in Binjai, North Sumatra.
"I think it is a racist statement, aimed at creating a negative image of all Acehnese," institute director Rufriadi told Antara here on Friday.
Endriartono claimed in Jakarta on Wednesday that there were indications of the involvement of a third party in the raid by an army unit on the local police in Binjai, Langkat district, toward the end of last month.
The general made it clear however that he had not been able to identify the third party. According to the TNI chief, the Binjai incident was instigated by an army member who used a Javanese name but was actually an Acehnese.
Rufriadi accused Endriartono of being unfair because when he made the statement a fact-finding team was still investigating the incident.
The lawyer maintained that the TNI chief had made the statement with the intention of blaming all the trouble on the Acehnese, thus creating the impression that all Acehnese were troublemakers.
He said such an accusation might also become a deterrent for the Acehnese to join the defense force or the police. "The TNI chief should have shown more wisdom by refraining from making an allegation while an investigation was still under way," he said.
Army chief Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu stressed that it would be out of place to identify the third party while the incident was still under investigation.
"I have deployed some officers to carry out the necessary investigations. The results of the investigation will show whether there has been involvement of a third party," Ryamizard told reporters, as quoted by Antara, after leading a joint military and police exercise session in Jakarta on Friday morning.
He said someone should not be suspected simply because he is Acehnese. "Regardless of whether he is Acehnese or Javanese, a bad man is a bad man," he said.
Commenting on rumors about the impending replacement of Bukit Barisan Regional Military Commander Maj. Gen. Idris Gassing, who oversees North Sumatra, Ryamizard pointed out that Idris had only been in the post for a few months, while a regional military commander is usually appointed for a couple of years. "His replacement too early would not do," he said.
In a special roll call at the headquarters of the Bukit Barisan Command in Medan last Wednesday, Ryamizard announced the discharge of 20 army members involved in the Binjai incident, and the suspension of the army battalion – Airborne Battalion 100/PS – for one year.
In addition, the battalion commander and its five company chiefs were also dismissed from their posts.