Famine a new threat as war continues<\/p>\n
Nani Farida and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh\/Lhokseumawe<\/p>\n
After six days of clashes between the Indonesian Military (TNI)
\nand the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatists, famine became a
\nreal possibility as staple foods ran out in several parts of the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
Muhammad, a resident of Jeumpa subdistrict in Bireuen regency,
\nsaid the regency had been suffering from electricity blackouts
\nsince the beginning of the military operation on Monday, and
\nresidents had started to skip meals as food was scarce in the
\nisolated area.<\/p>\n
"We only have a limited supply of staple foods, and sometimes
\nwe share our meals with neighbors who were unable to find food,"
\nthe 65-year-old told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The Post saw electricity poles and trees felled along the road
\nconnecting Bireuen and the provincial capital of Banda Aceh.
\nIrrigation canals were smashed, causing water to flood streets
\nand houses.<\/p>\n
No public transportation was seen passing the area for reasons
\nof security. Muhammad said even cars carrying journalists were
\nshot at in several parts of the regency.<\/p>\n
He was disappointed that the TNI troops posted in the regency
\nfailed to protect the food supply and provide security.<\/p>\n
"About five days ago, possible GAM members took away our
\nidentity cards and the TNI only responded by imposing a curfew at
\nsix in the evening," he said, adding that people were desperately
\nin need of humanitarian assistance.<\/p>\n
Distribution of food has given the local administration a
\nheadache since the full-blown military operation was resumed in
\nthe province. Security concerns have prevented truck drivers, who
\nused to deliver basic commodities from the neighboring provincial
\ncapital of Medan to Banda Aceh, from operating.<\/p>\n
The Post saw three trucks packed high with vegetables were set
\non fire en route from Bireuen and neighboring Pidie, while
\ngunfights were heard in the distance.<\/p>\n
In Banda Aceh, the prices of staple foods such as sugar,
\ncooking oil and eggs increased by up to 30 percent and stock was
\nbeginning to dwindle.<\/p>\n
Gasoline distribution and supply were also disturbed,
\nespecially in the areas hardest hit by the conflict, such as
\nNorth Aceh and Pidie. Police and military troops were seen
\nguarding gas stations across the provincial capital from possible
\narson attacks.<\/p>\n
To ensure the distribution of food, Aceh Governor Abdullah
\nPuteh said all trucks carrying staple foods would be protected by
\nthe military and were instructed to travel in a convoy.<\/p>\n
"Around 100 trucks will resume the delivery of staples as soon
\nas possible, under the guard of the TNI," the governor said after
\nmeeting with land transportation owners on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The martial law administrator also announced that final exams
\nfor elementary school students would go ahead as scheduled,
\nstarting Monday.<\/p>\n
At least 387 school buildings across the province have been
\nburned down in the past five days, and tens of thousands of
\nstudents have had their schooling interrupted, with only about a
\nmonth remaining in the academic year.<\/p>\n
Materials for the final exams had reportedly already been sent
\nto most schools, including those in Lhokseumawe, where most of
\nthe schools had been razed.<\/p>\n
TNI said it would restore school buildings in the province,
\nstarting Monday.<\/p>\n
Teuku Umar district military commander Col. Gerhan Lantara
\nsaid upon his visit on Saturday to a high school in Aceh Besar
\nregency that the military would cooperate with local community
\nfigures and heads of villages that had lost their schools.<\/p>\n
Gerhan said the reconstruction work might last three to four
\nweeks.<\/p>\n
Aceh has a total of 4,864 public schools, including Islamic
\nschools, spread over 20 districts.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, 50 tents donated to house temporary schools from
\nthe United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) are expected to reach
\nJakarta on Sunday morning before being flown to Aceh.<\/p>\n
To support the crackdown on the rebels, the Indonesian police
\nhas asked neighboring countries Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
\nto hunt down any GAM members seeking asylum abroad.<\/p>\n
National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said in Bandung on
\nSaturday that they had asked the Thai government to arrest GAM
\nleader Zakirah Zaman, who had reportedly sought asylum in the
\ncountry sometime ago.<\/p>\n
Clashes continued to break out on Saturday in several parts of
\nthe province, with TNI claiming to have killed 53 GAM members as
\nof Saturday.<\/p>\n
Government troops also managed to capture a GAM commander,
\nTeungku Hassan Muda, on Nasi Island off Banda Aceh. Along with
\nhim, TNI confiscated an AK-47 riffle, several GAM documents and a
\ncompass.<\/p>\n
Following its new policy regarding media coverage, the martial
\nlaw administration asked two journalists to join a military unit
\nto verify reports that seven civilians had been shot dead by TNI
\nsoldiers during a clash on Thursday with rebels in Cot Ijo
\nvillage, Bireuen.<\/p>\n
The two reporters from Tempo News Room went to the scene of
\nincident, where four witnesses provided by the military were
\nwaiting to tell their accounts.<\/p>\n
The villagers said the seven people who were killed had been
\nGAM members who had mingled with residents for around one week
\nbefore martial law was imposed in Aceh.<\/p>\n
A group of fellow journalists accompanied the visit as
\nwitnesses.<\/p>\n
One of the residents, Halim of neighboring Abeuk Jaloh
\nvillage, said he recognized the seven rebels as GAM spies whose
\njob was to inform fellow rebels if military soldiers arrived in
\nvillages in the area.<\/p>\n
"I wasn't there during the clash, but when I came to the site,
\nI recognized the dead as GAM members," Halim said.<\/p>\n
TNI headquarters has said it would file a complaint against
\nthe media for allegedly printing inaccurate reports.<\/p>\n
"This is all part of our investigation as to whether or not
\nour soldiers had violated the law. I hope the press will be able
\nto seek clarification and write accurate stories about any
\nincidents here. Don't create a story without clear evidence,"
\nCommander of Aceh Military Police Col. Maman Taryana, who
\naccompanied the journalists, said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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