Jakarta's declaration of the end of emergency rule for Acheh seems a cruel joke to most Achehnese here in Acheh.
Some weeks ago, the Indonesian government promised Achehnese that the TNI would cease offensive military operations. But since that promise they've only escalated their war.
Indonesia talks of a just and lasting settlement, but their troops scatter bodies, bound and beaten, across the hills and along the rivers of our homeland.
Their leaders tell the world the conflict will be solved politically, but their soldiers lob mortars and fire salvoes from warships into areas suspected of harboring our fighters... only to kill villagers at work in distant fields.
Indonesia's negotiators serve up warm words across the table in Helsinki, but the military rounds up entire Achehnese villages.
Indonesia's president promised Acheh it could have everything but independence. But now we are not allowed a province free of the TNI. Why would a peaceful Acheh need Indonesian troops? Is Thailand or Malaysia planning to invade us? Or does Indonesia have some other, darker reason?
Indonesian spokesmen said Indonesia has no problem with self-government, but then we are told we can't have Achehnese political parties.
Will our future be any different from our past? Achehnese at the mercy of the Indonesian military; Achehnese without a political vehicle for our political aspirations.
Can you blame us for having no trust in Indonesian promises?
Indonesia has waged an unrestricted war without regard to the Geneva or other conventions governing armed conflict. With the foreign media kept out during the first 18 months of Indonesia's emergency rule, the military has murdered thousands of unarmed Achehnese.
Even after the tsunami – while foreign troops, the international press and well-meaning NGOs gathered in the capital and brought attention to Acheh's plight – the people of Acheh continue to suffer under the Indonesian gun. Abduction and murder of civilians (including the family of GAM members), and the torture and summary execution of our captured fighters has continued without an hour's pause.
Why doesn't Indonesia allow journalists into the villages up from the main road? Despite the loudly trumpeted end of emergency rule, tens of thousands of troops continue to impose a terrifying peace on our people. God help the Achehnese!
Unlike Indonesia, the armed forces of GAM fight a very limited war – our field of battle is Acheh only. We have restrained those in our ranks who advise attacking legitimate military targets outside Acheh. Restrained them, but not because we aren't capable of launching such attacks. We have long hoped that our care in not spreading the conflict would be met with a similar fair fight by Indonesia. We have been proved wrong again and again. Non-combatants are beaten, tortured, raped and slaughtered. Who hears their cries?
This is the second time we have politely asked that a cease-fire be established and our negotiators, including the civilian leader of the referendum movement, Muhammad Nazar, be released from imprisonment in Java.
We are still a well-organized military force and we are capable of stronger steps than we have thus far taken.
Central Military Command
Sofyan Dawood
Military Spokesman