Aceh brought to a halt after GAM calls for a total strike<\/p>\n
Ibnu Mat Noor, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
Aceh was almost totally paralyzed on Wednesday in connection with
\nthe recent call by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) for a total
\nstrike in protest of what they called militarism in the province.<\/p>\n
Public services in most towns did not function although many
\ngovernment offices, tightly guarded by security personnel,
\nremained open while schools were closed. Most locals did not
\nventure out of their homes as public transportation was not in
\noperation. Most shops and traditional markets were closed in fear
\nof fresh violence.<\/p>\n
Only several pedicabs and cars as well as military and police
\ntrucks could be seen on the main roads in the provincial capital
\nof Banda Aceh. Thousands of military and police personnel were
\nstationed in strategic positions in the city.<\/p>\n
The police deployed dozens of personnel to man state-run Damri
\npassenger buses but they were not seen on streets because of the
\nabsence of passengers.<\/p>\n
Only around 20 cars were parked in the parking lot at the
\ngovernor's office and most civil servants did not go to work.<\/p>\n
Mustafa, an attendant of a coffee stall in the city said many
\nfood and beverage outlets remained open but there were no
\ncustomers.<\/p>\n
\"It is better for me to close because there are only a few
\ncustomers,\" he said, adding that most residents in the city were
\nafraid to go out because of GAM's call for a total strike.<\/p>\n
Bus owners said they decided not to operate to avoid possible
\nraids by both rebels and security personnel.<\/p>\n
\"We will halt operation for the three consecutive days because
\nwe don't want to take any risks,\" Kaharuddin, a bus company owner
\nin Banda Aceh, said.<\/p>\n
Early on Wednesday, a string of bomb explosions and gunfire
\nwere heard on the outskirts of the city but no casualties were
\nreported.<\/p>\n
A similar situation was also found in Lhokseumauwe, North
\nAceh, Langsa, East Aceh, Meulaboh, West Aceh and Takengon,
\nCentral Aceh.<\/p>\n
Muhhamad Ibrahim, a resident of Lhokseumawe, said most people
\nin the town did not leave their homes because they feared
\npossible violence from GAM and security personnel.<\/p>\n
\"We risk being shot by rebels if we carry out our daily
\nactivities outside our house and by security personnel if they
\nconsider we are doing something to disturb public interests. So
\nit's better for us to stay at home,\" he said.<\/p>\n
GAM has called on the Acehnese people to go on a total strike
\nfrom Jan. 16 through to Jan. 18 to protest what they call
\nmilitary repression and the government's plan to revive a
\nmilitary command in the province. At the same time, local
\nauthorities have called on the public to ignore GAM' call.<\/p>\n
Security authorities have also imposed a shoot-on-sight order
\nfor those found disturbing public interests.<\/p>\n
GAM has been frustrated over the security operation that has
\ngone on for nine months. Besides claiming the lives of hundreds
\nof rebels, the separatist movement has been curtailed.<\/p>\n
At least four rebels were killed in separate exchanges of
\ngunfire with security personnel in North and West Aceh on
\nWednesday. The local office of the Indonesian Red Cross in
\ncooperation with a group monitoring the strike removed eight
\nbodies from separate places in North, East and West Aceh. The
\ndeceased were sent to public hospitals in the regencies to be
\nhanded over to their families.<\/p>\n
The local military said GAM's call for a total strike did not
\nhave a negative impact on daily life in the province and there
\nwere no indications that the local people accepted the call.<\/p>\n
\"GAM's attempts to disturb the situation and public interests
\nhave not borne fruit because most people ignored the call for a
\nstrike,\" Zaenal Mutaqin, spokesman for the military operation in
\nAceh, said.<\/p>\n
He said GAM had made the call to seek support from the
\nAcehnese \"but they failed to achieve their target.\"<\/p>\n
He said the military would keep conducting raids on GAM
\nstrongholds and patrolling rural and urban areas to maintain
\nsecurity and order. The military have deployed hundreds of
\nintelligence officers to detect any possible infiltration of
\nrebels into urban areas.<\/p>",
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