69 dead after week of war in Aceh<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe\/Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
The death toll continues to climb in the war against the Free
\nAceh Movement (GAM), with two rebels and one soldier killed on
\nSunday, bringing the total number of casualties to 69 since the
\ncampaign began last Monday.<\/p>\n
In the provincial capital Banda Aceh, police authorities
\nannounced on Sunday they had arrested 17 people, including 12
\nstudent activists, for their alleged involvement in the
\nseparatist movement.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, military authorities said the Aceh administration
\nwould issue new ID cards for Acehnese to differentiate them with
\nGAM rebels.<\/p>\n
Soldiers patrolling Paranggui village in the GAM stronghold of
\nBireuen regency killed two GAM members as they attempted to flee
\non a motorcycle on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Platoon commander Second Lt. R. Suprapto said the two rebels
\nhad been wanted so \"we tried to stop them when we accidentally
\nbumped into them\".<\/p>\n
\"We fired warning shots but they continued to flee on their
\nmotorbike and started firing at us,\" Suprapto said.<\/p>\n
Soldiers found two weapons, ammunition and a grenade on the
\ntwo bodies, which were taken away by the Indonesian Red Cross in
\nBireuen.<\/p>\n
Another clash between the Indonesian Military (TNI) and GAM
\nrebels took place on Sunday when about 30 rebels ambushed a
\nmilitary convoy near Bayi in North Aceh.<\/p>\n
At least two soldiers were injured in the battle, which lasted
\nfor about 30 minutes. The two soldiers -- identified as Pvt.
\nSyamsuriadi, 25, and Pvt. Eprizon, 27 -- are being treated at the
\nArmy's hospital in Lhokseumawe.<\/p>\n
A fierce two-hour gunfight took place in Sidomulyo village in
\nDewantara district, North Aceh, at about 9 a.m. on Sunday. One
\nsoldier, identified as Chief Pvt. Mursidi, was killed in the
\nbattle.<\/p>\n
Mursidi died of a gunshot wound to the head, making him the
\nthird TNI casualty since the government launched its military
\noperation to crush the GAM rebels, who have been fighting for
\nindependence for the resource-rich province since 1976. At least
\n10,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Aceh since
\nGAM began its fight for independence.<\/p>\n
Mursidi's remains will be evacuated to Medan, North Sumatra,
\non Monday (today) and then flown to Surabaya, East Java.<\/p>\n
Late Saturday night, an explosion took place near the Peusong
\ntraditional market, some 700 meters from the Military Operation
\nCommand in Lhokseumawe, barely two hours after a grenade was
\nthrown into a police office in the town.<\/p>\n
On Sunday morning, the Air Force continued its aerial bombing
\ncampaign near Simpang KKA in North Aceh.<\/p>\n
The first bomb exploded above Nisam subdistrict at about 9:25
\na.m., the second above Cot Garot village about 9:35 a.m. and the
\nthird at about 9:40 a.m. above Meunasah Keudeu village.<\/p>\n
According to Aceh Operations Commander Brig. Gen. Bambang
\nDarmono, the bombings were aimed at \"giving shock therapy\" to GAM
\nrebels believed to be hiding among the locals.<\/p>\n
In Banda Aceh, police said they arrested 12 students in a
\ncrackdown on separatist supporters.<\/p>\n
Aceh Police spokesman Sayed Husainy said the 12 students from
\nthe State Institute for Religious Sciences were arrested late on
\nSaturday along with five others.<\/p>\n
Sayed also said that non-governmental organizations, \"which
\nclaim to defend human rights\", would be monitored.<\/p>\n
Also on Sunday, a group of civilians hacked three rebels to
\ndeath with machetes when they attempted to enter their village of
\nWim Pesam in Central Aceh, Col. Ditya Sudarsono, a military
\nspokesman, said.<\/p>\n
Ditya denied any military involvement in the killings. \"The
\nvillagers did it on their own initiative to stop rebels from
\nentering the area,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Since the offensive was launched on Monday, a total of 69
\npeople reportedly have been killed. These casualties consist of
\n65 rebels, three government soldiers and one policeman. The
\nIndonesian Red Cross, however, has said that it has recovered
\nbetween 70 and 80 corpses in the province.<\/p>\n
Independent verification of these numbers is impossible
\nbecause international monitors left the province after a peace
\nagreement signed in December 2002 collapsed in mid-May.<\/p>\n
More than 20,000 Acehnese have fled their homes, seeking
\nrefuge in mosques and schools.<\/p>\n
Also on Sunday, a number of Cabinet ministers, including
\nCoordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, visited
\nthe province to assess the humanitarian situation there.<\/p>\n
Highlights of weeklong battle<\/p>\n
Day 1: Four people were killed in two separate gunbattles between
\nrebels and soldiers in South Aceh district and Aceh Besar
\ndistrict. Twelve school buildings were burned down in Bireun.<\/p>\n
Day 2: One rebel was killed in North Aceh and 12 others were
\narrested, while 185 more school buildings were burned in Bireun,
\nPidie, Aceh Besar, Aceh Jaya, Aceh Tamiang and Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
Day 3: The military claimed to have killed nine rebels in Bireuen
\nand Pidie, but rebels put the death toll at 13, including 10
\ncivilians. Sixty-three more school buildings were burned down.<\/p>\n
Day 4: The TNI claimed to have killed 30 rebels and arrested 21
\nothers during bloody clashes in Aceh Besar, East Aceh and on Nasi
\nIsland. Eleven soldiers were injured in the fighting. Forty-four
\nmore school buildings were burned down, and several trucks
\ncarrying food supplies to Banda Aceh were attacked.<\/p>\n
Day 5: The TNI claimed to have killed 58 rebels in attacks on GAM
\nbases in Pidie and North Aceh. GAM claimed to have killed 43
\nsoldiers and police officers, and accused the TNI of killing 53
\ncivilians. Prices of basic commodities in the province began to
\nrise.<\/p>\n
Day 6: The TNI killed Tengku Hasan Muda, the GAM regional
\ncommander on Nasi Island. More than 100 school buildings were
\nburned down in Pidie, Bireuen and North Aceh.<\/p>\n
Day 7: The TNI claimed to have killed 65 rebels in clashes with
\nGAM in North Aceh, Aceh Besar and Bireuen. Three soldiers and one
\npolice officer were reported killed in the clashes.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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