RI and GAM hold peace talks in Aceh<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): The joint committee, representatives of
\nthe Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels
\ngroup held peace talks here on Monday, to discuss, among other
\nthings, the establishment of a joint democracy council.<\/p>\n
Before the session, GAM spokesman Teuku Kamaruzzaman told The
\nJakarta Post that the meeting planned to discuss the
\nestablishment of a democracy council that would function as the
\nfacilitator of political dialog, in order to identify a format
\nfor a peaceful solution for Aceh.<\/p>\n
The institution would be jointly managed by Acehnese
\ncivilians, GAM members and representatives of the Indonesian
\ngovernment, Kamaruzzaman said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The political initiatives coming from the new committee would
\nbe expected to provide input for the further round of Indonesian-
\nGAM talks in Geneva, Switzerland in September.<\/p>\n
The Monday talks, held at the Kuala Tripa Hotel in Banda Aceh,
\nstarted at around 10:00 a.m., and will continue on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
None of the participants at the meeting was willing to speak
\nto reporters, including the leader of the Indonesian government
\ndelegation police Sr. Comr. Ridwan Karim.<\/p>\n
The conflicts in Aceh has reached to a new development as the
\nseparatist group, which had flatly rejected the option of special
\nautonomy for Aceh through the Nangroe Aceh bill, has shown signs
\nof compromise, by giving comments on the special autonomy bill
\nwhich is being deliberated by the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
But GAM spokesman for the joint committee Sofyan Ibrahim Tiba
\nsaid: \"We only want to comment but our comments do not mean our
\nacceptance.\"<\/p>\n
Responding to Jakarta's request for the rebel group to present
\nits armed wing commander Teungku Abdullah Syafi'ie in the
\nSeptember meeting and to give a written guarantee that the rebels
\nwould not disturb any facilities belonging to the giant gas
\ncompany ExxonMobil Oil, Sofyan said the two proposals were all
\nirrelevant with the dialog.<\/p>\n
In a fresh outbreak of violence in Aceh, at least nine people,
\nincluding four security officers, three rebels and two civilians,
\nwere killed in a series of incidents that took place from
\nSaturday until Monday morning, officials said.<\/p>\n
Aceh's Law and Order Security Operation deputy spokesman
\npolice Comr. Sudarsono said the latest incident took place on
\nMonday morning when alleged rebels murdered 49-year-old
\nAmiruddin, the father of Police Sgt. Edi Sabara who was also
\nkilled by separatists in Lampu-uk village in Aceh Besar regency
\non Saturday.<\/p>\n
Amiruddin had been kidnapped by the rebels and his body was
\nfound also in Lampu-uk village on Monday morning, the officer
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The other fatal incidents were recorded in North Aceh, Pidie,
\nand East Aceh. Police Sgt. Taji Surbakti was shot dead by rebels
\non Sunday afternoon, while two rebels were killed during
\ngunfights with security forces in Pidie regency on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Pvt. Harianto was killed during a rebel ambush on a group of
\nmilitary officers in Idi, East Aceh on Sunday, and a GAM rebel
\nwas also killed during a pursuit of the attackers in Seunebok
\nvillage, also in East Aceh.<\/p>\n
The bodies of two civilians were found in Tangse village,
\nPidie and Kuala Simpang Ulim, East Aceh on Sunday. (50\/emf\/edt)<\/p>",
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