Iskandar Muda Military District Definitely Going Ahead
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Editor
17 July 2003 11:18 WIB
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The government has given their stamp of approval for the reopening of the Iskandar Muda Military District in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD). President Megawati has ordered Chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI) Adm. Widodo AS and Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil to prepare the personnel and organize the necessary materials. “This decision comes after much discussion, mostly from a defence perspective - the possibility of outside and domestic threats to the nation," the Minister of Defense explained to the press today (22/1), after attending a coordinating meeting for security. The Minister said the government had already considered a wide range of concerns including legal aspects, likely psychological effects, management of public administration, and the paradigm being set by the TNI. But Matori said it was not yet clear when the reestablishment of this military command would be achieved. “God willing, it will be in effect soon,” he said. Matori said reopening the Iskandar Muda Military District is necessary because of Aceh's position as the northernmost province of Indonesia - an area susceptible to threats from the Malaka Straits. Furthermore, the government is still unable to control the Free Aceh Movement that is fighting to separate from the Indonesian nation. The Minister firmly stated that the reestablishment of the Military District will not become the prerogative of the Acehnese themselves. He explained that despite regional autonomy the central government remains responsible for matters of security and defence. (Eduardus Karel Dewanto & Martua Manullang - Tempo News Room)