Acehnese formulate 7-point declaration<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Some 100,000 people gathered in Banda
\nAceh on Tuesday to hear the reading of a seven-point declaration
\ndemanding the Indonesian government restore the sovereignty of
\nAceh as a free and separate nation.<\/p>\n
The declaration, read by Muhammad Nazar of the Information
\nCenter for an Aceh Referendum, the organizer of the Mass
\nGathering for Peace, also demanded Indonesian military forces
\nimmediately be withdrawn from Aceh, the Indonesian government be
\nheld accountable for atrocities in the area and the affairs of
\nall sectors in Aceh be normalized.<\/p>\n
\"If the above demands are not met by Nov. 26, 2000, we call on
\nall Acehnese to organize peaceful mass strikes from Nov. 27 to
\nDec. 3, 2000,\" Muhammad said reading the declaration.<\/p>\n
The declaration also included a call on the international
\ncommunity and the United Nations to intervene to help find a
\npolitical, security and humanitarian solution to the problems in
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
It further demanded the Netherlands revoke its March 26, 1873,
\ndeclaration of war against Aceh, and be held accountable for
\n\"illegally\" handing over control of Aceh to the Indonesian
\ngovernment at the Round Table Conference in The Hague on Dec. 27,
\n1949.<\/p>\n
The rally and declaration were the climax of a gathering which
\nbegan on Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the call for
\nAceh's independence.<\/p>\n
Participants of Tuesday's rally were believed to be mostly
\nfrom Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar regency. Many carried UN flags and
\nbanners which read \"Referendum\".<\/p>\n
There were no immediate reports of clashes, and few security
\npersonnel were seen in the area.<\/p>\n
Dozens of students wearing their university jackets and staff
\nof the event organizer took to the streets to help direct
\ntraffic.<\/p>\n
Violence<\/p>\n
Aceh has been wracked by continued violence, and calls for
\neither a referendum or independence have grown.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government signed a Joint Humanitarian Pause
\nwith representatives of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
\nto help stop the bloodshed.<\/p>\n
However, despite this accord the violence has continued almost
\nunabated.<\/p>\n
The government also has said it wants to begin substantive
\ntalks with GAM to find a political solution to the Aceh issue,
\nbut has ruled out the option of independence for the territory.<\/p>\n
Separately, the deputy chief of the Aceh Police Special
\nOperations, Sr. Supt. Kusbini Imbar, denied on Tuesday
\nallegations that security personnel had prohibited public
\ntransportation vehicles from plying the Banda Aceh-Medan route in
\nNorth Sumatra.<\/p>\n
\"We did not ban public transportation from operating over the
\npast few days. There is the possibility of intimidation by
\nseveral parties to provoke transportation operators to cease
\noperations,\" he told Antara news agency.<\/p>\n
There also have been allegations that security personnel were
\nresponsible for the spate of violence prior to the start of the
\ngathering on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The exact number of deaths since Wednesday is unknown, with
\npolice claiming 14 people were killed, while rally organizers say
\n32 people were killed by security personnel during intensified
\noperations.<\/p>\n
Amni bin Ahmad Marzuki, the GAM spokesman at the Joint
\nCommittee on Security Modality, established as part of the
\nhumanitarian pause, said on Sunday GAM representatives would not
\nattend a planned two-day political dialog due to begin in Geneva
\non Thursday to protest the violence.<\/p>\n
Separately in Jakarta, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen.
\nSaleh Saaf took an even tougher line, urging the government on
\nTuesday to reconsider participating in the humanitarian pause in
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
\"GAM members have killed (security) personnel during prayers
\nor even when they were taking their kids to school,\" Saleh said
\nat National Police Headquarters.<\/p>\n
Saleh said that during the first three months of the
\nhumanitarian pause, more people had been killed than in the
\nprevious three months.<\/p>\n
\"During the second humanitarian pause, which has been going on
\nfor two months now, twice as many people have been killed than
\nduring the first humanitarian pause,\" Saleh said without
\nelaborating on the figures.<\/p>\n
\"GAM is a separatist (group). There should not be a separatist
\nmovement in Indonesia, so we have to be more proactive in
\nquelling separatist groups,\" Saleh said. \"There should be firm
\nlaw enforcement there.\"<\/p>\n
Saleh said that since Aug. 7, 1998, at least 98 police
\nofficers, 660 civilians and 75 military personnel had been killed
\nin Aceh.<\/p>\n
Saleh also said 18 military personnel, 159 civilians and 25
\npolice officers remained missing. (50\/51\/lup\/jaw)<\/p>",
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