Government to continue dialog with Aceh rebels<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian government is set to continue
\ndialog with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels in
\nSwitzerland amid continuing violence in Aceh on Wednesday which
\nkilled five people and injured scores of others.<\/p>\n
The talks took place following the signing of a new pact last
\nSaturday, an agreement which is expected to help reduce violence
\nbetween both parties in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Director General for Political Affairs at the Ministry of
\nForeign Affairs Nur Hassan Wirajuda will fly to Switzerland for
\ndiscussions late on Wednesday and meet representatives of Hassan
\nTiro, the leader of the separatist movement.<\/p>\n
"I will leave this afternoon for talks with GAM. I will meet
\ntheir representatives tomorrow," Hassan said on the sidelines of
\na hearing between Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab and the
\nHouse of Representatives Commission I on Security, Defense and
\nForeign Affairs on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Hassan, who is Indonesia's top negotiator with Aceh, earlier
\nsaid that the three-day meeting in Switzerland was initially
\nscheduled on Monday.<\/p>\n
"The meeting will review the results of the new pact and to
\npush for further substantial dialog between the two parties. The
\nmain point is that we have reached agreement to reduce violence,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Both Indonesian and GAM envoy announced on Saturday a new
\nfour-point code of conduct to reduce violence in Aceh that would
\ntake effect for 10 days starting Feb. 11.<\/p>\n
Under the pact, both sides have agreed to halt violence that
\nwould cause loss of life and livelihood, stop physical attacks,
\nkidnappings, torture, arson, intimidation, bombings, illegal
\narrests, harassment and ambushes.<\/p>\n
The new agreement, however, is not likely to reduce violence
\nin the disputed province.<\/p>\n
In North Aceh, joint military-police patrolling officers were
\ninvolved in a gunfight on Wednesday after they were intercepted
\nby GAM rebels, spokesman of North Aceh Police Adj. Comr. Abdi
\nDarmawan said.<\/p>\n
Six people, including a security officer, sustained gunshot
\ninjuries, and two of them later died. The two, identified as
\nMariyani, 30, and her eight-month old baby died due to severe
\nbleeding.<\/p>\n
"The incident took place in Matang Mane village, Tanah Jambo
\nAye around 7:15 a.m. local time when officers on patrol were
\nambushed by GAM rebels," Abdi Darmawan said.<\/p>\n
Later in the day, rebels also attacked Bayu Police subprecinct
\nand Tanah Jambo Aue military subdistrict, but no casualties were
\nreported, officer Abdi said.<\/p>\n
"This is a direct violation of the new pact. How are we
\nsupposed to stop violence if rebels continue ambushing troops?"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, three bodies were recovered in Aceh Besar regency
\non Monday.<\/p>\n
An unidentified body, badly decomposed, was picked up from
\nUnjon Batee in Aceh Besar regency. The other two corpses were
\nfound in a gunnysack in the Krueng Cut river, six kilometers
\nnorth of the capital Banda Aceh, Sr. Comr. Kusbini Imbar said on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
The two were identified as Rusydi Umar, 39, a former civil
\nservant, and Khalidin, 37, a fish merchant.<\/p>\n
"Both fatalities were found with torture wounds," Kusbini
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Residents in Panggoi village, North Aceh said three women were
\nshot repeatedly in their homes by a man -- identified by police
\nas a member of GAM -- with a pistol overnight on Monday.<\/p>\n
"The victims, a mother, her daughter and a neighbor, were in
\ncritical condition," North Aceh police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Wanto
\nSumardi said.<\/p>\n
But the police claim was rejected by GAM who said that the
\ngunman was armed by security forces.<\/p>\n
Separately in Pidie, an officer from the elite police squad
\nBrimob, First Adj. Brig. Zapolin Saragih, died in hospital from
\ncontroversial causes.<\/p>\n
An eyewitness said the officer was holding a gun when a bullet
\nhit his head, but Pidie Police Chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Heru Budi
\nErsanto, said he had slipped and hit his head. (50\/dja\/edt)<\/p>",
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