Dialog still priority for Aceh solution: Minister Mahfud<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense Mahfud M.D. asserted on
\nFriday the government was prioritizing the use of negotiations in
\nan effort to solve the separatist issues in Aceh province.<\/p>\n
\"Of course a military operation will be one alternative among
\nothers. And it (a military operation) will only be conducted if
\nthe dialogs are fruitless,\" Mahfud said to the press after
\ninstalling the ministry's executive officials here.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Thursday, the Indonesian military (TNI)'s chief for
\ngeneral affairs, Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago urged the government
\nto determine the position of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) with
\nregard to Indonesia's legal framework.<\/p>\n
Action against GAM was also supported by the Army's Strategic
\nReserves Command (Kostrad) chief Lt. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu,
\nsaying that GAM was \"the enemy of the state and should be
\nquelled\".<\/p>\n
Mahfud, however, said that the (selective) military operation
\nwhich might be conducted by the government was just to fight GAM,
\narmed civilians and other separatist movements, \"but not to kill
\nthe innocent people of Aceh\".<\/p>\n
Amid the contradictory positions of the minister and TNI
\nsenior figures, Mahfud said the government was scheduled to
\naddress Aceh issues in the coming Cabinet meeting on Monday.<\/p>\n
Back in Aceh, tension still gripped Idi area in East Aceh
\nregency on Friday following an overnight shooting which killed
\nsix people.<\/p>\n
Business and school activities were halted as transportation
\nin the area also temporarily ground to a halt.<\/p>\n
\"We locked ourselves in our houses and are afraid because we
\nare being pitted between GAM and security forces,\" a local
\nresident said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian troops regained power over Idi town on March 2
\nafter a fierce 14-hour standoff with GAM rebels.<\/p>\n
In East Aceh on Thursday, six people were killed in Teupin
\nJareng village in Idi district, some two kilometers away from Idi
\ntown. A six-year-old girl remains in a critical condition.<\/p>\n
Forum of Student and Youth Antiviolence Movements (Fomapak)
\nactivist Sulaiman said the incident began at around 5:30 p.m. on
\nThursday when dozens of police and military personnel raided the
\ncamp at a small mosque compound, crammed with more than 1,000
\nrefugees.<\/p>\n
In Pidie, the body of a man named Irawan Alibasya, 35, was
\nfound decapitated in Putue village, Pidie district of Pidie
\nregency, on Friday morning and later taken to Sigli Hospital.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia (EMOI) has temporarily
\nsuspended production operations at the Arun, South Lhoksukon and
\nPase gas fields in Aceh \"due to events beyond our control
\nresulting from the current unrest in the area.\" (edt\/02\/50\/51)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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