Swedish prosecutors visit burned schools in war-torn Aceh<\/p>\n
Nani Farida and P.C. Naommy, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Swedish prosecutors visited Aceh Besar regency on Thursday to see
\nfor themselves hundreds of school buildings allegedly burned down
\nby members of separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) at the onset of
\nthe military offensive in the troubled province last May.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by Aceh Police detective chief Sr. Comr. Surya
\nDarma and Aceh Besar Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Gaguk Supartono,
\nthe team studied documents and photographs describing the
\nconditions of the schools before and after their renovation.<\/p>\n
At least 607 school buildings were burned down by alleged GAM
\nmembers at the beginning of the joint operation aimed at, among
\nother things, stamping out the secessionist movement, which has
\nbeen fighting for independence for the resource-rich province
\nsince 1976.<\/p>\n
The government has accused the rebels of carrying out a series
\nof terrorist attacks across the country, and pressed Sweden to
\ntake firm action against GAM leaders residing in that country,
\nincluding movement founder Hasan Tiro.<\/p>\n
Responding to Indonesian pressure, Sweden sent the team to
\nAceh to investigate crimes committed by rebels in the province.<\/p>\n
They arrived in Aceh on Wednesday to question a number of
\nimprisoned or detained rebels in the provincial capital of Banda
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
On the first day of investigation, the team questioned several
\nwitnesses -- most of whom were GAM prisoners -- at the provincial
\npolice headquarters. While carrying out the investigation, the
\nteam was accompanied by staff from the Ministry of Foreign
\nAffairs.<\/p>\n
Those questioned on Wednesday included GAM negotiators Sofyan
\nIbrahim Tiba and Muhammad Usman. They are now serving prison
\nterms up to 16 years in the Banda Aceh penitentiary after the
\ndistrict court declared them guilty of treason and terrorism.<\/p>\n
The Swedish investigators are slated to visit the Tanjung
\nGusta penitentiary in Medan, North Sumatra to interview GAM
\nprisoners before returning to Jakarta on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The team is also scheduled to interview Cut Farida, one of two
\nAcehnese women held hostage by GAM for almost seven months before
\ntheir release in January.<\/p>\n
Farida, the wife of an Air Force officer, said the Swedish
\nprosecutors might interview her on Saturday at the National
\nPolice headquarters here in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"I told them (detective officers from the Transnational Crime
\nDivision) about my experiences as a hostage of GAM,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, 14 rebels in Tamiang have surrendered to the
\nIndonesian Marines overseeing Meurandeh and Telaga Muku areas in
\nEast Aceh regency.<\/p>\n
According to East Aceh Military District Commander Lt. Cl.
\nSunari, the 14 rebels, including their field commander Razali
\nalias Risyad, 51, surrendered last week and handed over several
\nriffles, including an AK-47 riffle.<\/p>\n
\"Within the past few weeks, the rebels have lacked supplies
\nand were forced to eat anything they could find, while hiding in
\nremote jungles,\" Sunari said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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