Red Cross appeals for safe access to Acehnese<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) urged on Wednesday the two warring
\nparties in Aceh to allow humanitarian workers to move around
\nfreely when carrying out their duties there.<\/p>\n
It also called on both the Indonesian Military (TNI) and Free
\nAceh Movement (GAM) not to interfere in the work of humanitarian
\nvolunteers to prevent them from harm.<\/p>\n
\"There are a lot of things in Aceh that PMI should do, but if
\nboth TNI and GAM fail to ensure freedom of movement for us, I
\ndon't think we can continue with our humanitarian mission,\" PMI
\nsecretary-general Iyang D. Sukandar said.<\/p>\n
\"We (PMI) do not wish to carry out such a mission until we are
\nassured that the team of volunteers will be safe,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Iyang was apparently referring to a recent clash between TNI
\npersonnel and GAM members in Bagok district, East Aceh, on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
During the clash, the TNI claimed to have rescued PMI
\nvolunteers, who were allegedly under GAM protection. The medical
\nvolunteers had entered a GAM stronghold to treat villagers
\nsuffering from illnesses.<\/p>\n
Bagok district, located about 50 kilometers from Peurelak
\nregency, is believed to be a GAM stronghold. The PMI team visited
\nthe area at the invitation of GAM leaders to treat sick villagers
\nand was promised it could meet civilian hostages, including Fery
\nSantoro, a TV journalist from RCTI TV station.<\/p>\n
GAM spokesman Teungku Mansor was reportedly killed in the
\nclash, while a volunteer, Budiman Ramli, went missing.<\/p>\n
\"I have contacted (GAM commander overseeing East Aceh) Ishak
\nDaud, asking him to release our volunteer if he was being held by
\nGAM.<\/p>\n
\"He (Ishak) promised to do so even though he has yet to
\nascertain if Budiman was with GAM personnel,\" Iyang told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Ishak promised to protect Budiman if he were with GAM, but \"as
\nof today I don't know exactly whether he is still in that
\nlocation,\" Iyang said.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, head of the International Committee of the Red
\nCross (ICRC) for Asia Pacific Reto Meister said that his office
\nwould help secure the release of civilian captives on condition
\nthat both warring parties agreed to a cease-fire.<\/p>\n
ICRC backed out of efforts to release hostages currently held
\nby GAM last month after TNI and GAM failed to agree on security
\narrangements for its volunteers.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said on
\nWednesday that the military was ready to launch another operation
\nto rescue hostages currently held by GAM as soon as possible.<\/p>\n
\"We have identified their locations and are ready to launch
\nthe operation soon,\" the four-star general said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He added that detailed information on the movement of GAM
\npersonnel and their hostages had been obtained by the military in
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
\"We need the data to ensure that there will be minimal
\ncasualties when we carry out military action to release the
\ncivilian hostages,\" Endriartono said.<\/p>\n
He said the military was still giving GAM a chance to enter
\ninto negotiations to release the hostages but stressed that
\npreparations were still in hand for a possible rescue operation.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/red-cross-appeals-for-safe-access-to-acehnese-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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