Tension mounts as Aceh offensive begins<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Firefights between government troops and separatist rebels marked
\nthe first day of martial law in restive Aceh on Monday, leaving
\nat least four guerrilla fighters killed.<\/p>\n
Despite the mounting tension, life appeared to be normal in
\nsome parts of the resource-rich province, including the capital
\ncity of Banda Aceh, with both social and economic activities
\nproceeding as usual.<\/p>\n
The military authorities claimed to have shot dead four rebels
\nin two separate clashes in the South Aceh district of Blang Kuala
\nand in the Aceh Besar district of Indrapuri. But no confirmation
\nwas obtained from Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels.<\/p>\n
Spokesman for the military operation Lt. Col. Ahmad Yani
\nBasuki said a joint security force of marines and Police Mobile
\nBrigade were combing Blang Kuala to search for around 20 armed
\nrebels who were hiding in the district. After a skirmish that
\nlasted 30 minutes, three rebels identified as Punut Daud, Azis
\nFirman and Samsuardi were killed.<\/p>\n
The clash in Indrapuri earlier in the day claimed the life of
\na GAM member identified as Jamaludin.<\/p>\n
Tension swept through Bireuen as at least 12 school buildings
\nin the regency known as one of GAM's strongholds were torched by
\nunidentified people while rebels and security personnel were
\ninvolved in gunfights in several areas in the regency. No
\ncasualties were reported in the armed clashes.<\/p>\n
Several journalists, including The Jakarta Post's reporter,
\nwere forced to lay low when two groups of rebels and soldiers
\nwere involved in a firefight in Nissam subdistrict in North Aceh
\naround midday.<\/p>\n
Two more bodies believed to be GAM rebels were recovered in
\nBanda Aceh and Sigli. The bodies of two people which were
\nrecovered in Ulee Le village in Banda Aceh were killed in a
\ngunfight with soldiers while the third body was a 19-month baby
\nwho was shot to death by snipers when he along with his parents
\nwho suffered serious wounds to their legs was riding in a car to
\nNorth Aceh.<\/p>\n
In Lhokseumawe, another GAM's stronghold, most shops and
\nhouses in urban and rural areas along the province's east coastal
\narea were closed in compliance with GAM's call for a general
\nstrike. Many people were confused by the declaration of martial
\nlaw.<\/p>\n
"Many people don't understand what martial law means and we
\ndon't know what to do to protect ourselves and our families from
\nany attack," 34-year-old Achmad, a resident of Mangeundong
\nvillage in Lhokseumawe, told the Post.<\/p>\n
Lt. Col. Ahmad Yani said until now the military authorities
\nhad yet to impose a night curfew on Aceh pending further
\ninstructions.<\/p>\n
"We believe that following martial law here, some GAM members
\nhave removed their military fatigues and are living among the
\nlocal people.<\/p>\n
In the morning, several Hercules C-130 cargo aircraft flew
\nabove Lhokseumawe and Banda Aceh, dropping hundreds of soldiers
\nin a move to warn GAM of aerial and naval strikes.<\/p>\n
Another military aircraft OV-10 Bronco fired rockets at
\nsuspected rebel positions near the area.<\/p>\n
A military personnel died in an accident when a warship
\ncarrying a battalion of soldiers sunk near the bay along
\nSamalangan subdistrict in Bireun regency. some 176 kilometers
\neast of the capital city of Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
"It was a technical incident as the ship sank due to bad
\nweather. We have yet to identify the soldier but we immediately
\ndispatched the body to Jakarta," Indonesian Military (TNI)
\nspokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin told the press in Banda
\nAceh on Monday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Medan, TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
\ninstructed soldiers to uproot separatist rebels and put a stop to
\nthe movement.<\/p>\n
"I hope soldiers will fight it out to crush GAM, but they
\n(soldiers) must remember they should not accidentally shoot
\ncivilians," Endriartono, who predicted that the military
\noperation would last about six months.<\/p>\n
Endriartono was dispatching to Aceh hundreds of members of the
\nRapid Reaction Strike Force from Medan's Polonia air base.<\/p>\n
Amid the intensifying clashes involving security personnel and
\nrebels in Aceh, Vice President Hamzah Haz said that the chance
\nfor the resumption of peace talks remained wide open. But he
\nunderlined that it depended on GAM's willingness to drop its
\nquest for independence, to agree to the autonomy status and to
\ndisarm.<\/p>",
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