Aceh rebels have 'zero point zero' faith in Jakarta<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Self-exiled representatives of the Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM) said on Sunday their faith in Jakarta remained
\n\"zero point zero\" despite agreeing to extend the cease-fire in
\nthe province.<\/p>\n
Zaini Abdullah, who attended the talks on the cease-fire
\nextension and claims to be the health minister for the separatist
\nmovement, maintained there was no real building of confidence
\nduring the talks.<\/p>\n
\"I don't think so ... right now our confidence in the
\nIndonesian side is zero point zero,\" he said during a telephone
\ninterview with Reuters from Stockholm. \"It is still zero point
\nzero.\"<\/p>\n
\"I cannot now see any good results,\" Abdullah said. \"But we do
\ntry and try, and it is very important for us to hope.\"<\/p>\n
In talks held near Geneva, Indonesian government officials and
\nGAM representatives agreed on Friday to extend the cease-fire in
\nthe territory indefinitely and to hold a broad political dialog
\naimed at ending the conflict in the troubled province.<\/p>\n
The two sides pledged to expand confidence-building contacts
\nbetween their forces following the recent first meeting between
\ntheir field commanders and the establishment of a \"hot line\" to
\nprevent violent incidents.<\/p>\n
In a statement following the talks, negotiators claimed that
\nviolence in the province had decreased since the accord to reduce
\nviolence first came into effect.<\/p>\n
While acknowledging that these arrangements were very
\nimportant, Abdullah questioned Indonesia's commitment to peace in
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
Abdullah pointed to statements by Indonesian officials that
\nJakarta would not enter into talks under the auspices of the
\nSwiss-based Henri Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialog.<\/p>\n
\"From our side, we need to have international involvement. We
\nwill not talk with them without the international bodies,\" he
\nsaid, insisting that the involvement of the centre was the
\nminimum prerequisite.<\/p>\n
\"We do not even need the international heavyweights, but we
\nneed witnesses. I can say that we would talk about nothing if we
\nsat together just with the Indonesians, because we have no
\nconfidence. Zero point zero.\"<\/p>\n
In Aceh, as was the case after previous agreements between GAM
\nand the Indonesian government, there was no letup in the
\nviolence.<\/p>\n
A suspected GAM rebel was killed in a clash with soldiers in
\nCot Rheu village, Kuta Makmur subdistrict, North Aceh, on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
North Aceh Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Wanto Sumardi said T.M.
\nNazar, 23, was shot when soldiers on patrol near the village
\nclashed with rebel forces.<\/p>\n
However, GAM's spokesman in North Aceh, Abu Sofyan Daud, said
\nNazar was not killed during an exchange of fire, but was murdered
\nafter being kidnapped.<\/p>\n
\"TNI (the Indonesian Military) and the National Police have
\nbroken the truce agreement by continuing their attacks on GAM
\nheadquarters,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He also claimed that on Friday two residents of Tanah Pasir
\nwere kidnapped and forced to show soldiers the location of GAM
\nheadquarters.<\/p>\n
\"When the two said that they did not know the location, the
\nTNI soldiers became angry and killed them,\" Abu said.<\/p>\n
When asked about the incident, Wanto said he had heard these
\nrumors, but insisted the police were not on patrol at that
\ntime.(50\/hdn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aceh-rebels-have-zero-point-zero-faith-in-jakarta-1447893297",
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