War in Aceh continues despite fasting month<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh, Aceh<\/p>\n
Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said on
\nFriday the Aceh operation would not be halted during the fasting
\nmonth of Ramadhan, as had been demanded by rights activists.<\/p>\n
Endriartono said there would be no suspension of military
\nefforts to crush the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) during the fasting
\nmonth, adding that a cease-fire would only give the separatists
\nthe opportunity to regroup and rearm.<\/p>\n
"It would be unacceptable if what we achieved during the five-
\nmonth operation was destroyed by a cease-fire. Instead, I hope
\nthe rebels use the sacred (fasting) month as an opportunity to
\nreturn to the unitary state of Indonesia," Endriartono said after
\nvisiting the province.<\/p>\n
GAM also announced on Friday that it would continue fighting
\nduring the fasting month, though it would restrict its actions to
\nself-defense.<\/p>\n
"We will go on struggling for independence, and if the
\nmilitary insists on continue attacking us we will put up a
\nfight," Teungku Jamaika, GAM spokesman for the Pasee region in
\nNorth Aceh, said.<\/p>\n
Muslims across the world will begin the fasting month at the
\nend of October. The Indonesian government has not yet set the
\nofficial date for the beginning of Ramadhan, but the country's
\nsecond largest Muslim organization announced the holy month would
\nbegin on Oct. 27.<\/p>\n
Since its launch on May 19, the military operation in Aceh has
\nleft over 1,000 people dead, either civilians, government
\nsoldiers or guerrillas.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of schools have been burned and thousands of people
\nhave been forced to flee their homes.<\/p>\n
The number of fatalities has raised concern among rights
\nactivists from various non-governmental organizations, who
\nappealed to both sides to call a halt to the violence during the
\nfasting month.<\/p>\n
"We hope that Ramadhan will provide the spirit for both sides
\nto strengthen their commitment to peace in Aceh. In this spirit
\nwe urge both sides to exercise restraint and stop all violence
\nthroughout the fasting month," the activists said in a joint
\nstatement on Friday.<\/p>\n
The activists came from numerous NGOs, including the Legal Aid
\nInstitute in Aceh, the National Commission for Missing Persons
\nand Victims of Violence, and the Institute for Policy Research
\nand Advocacy.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/war-in-aceh-continues-despite-fasting-month-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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