Wives of GAM leaders disappear<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The wives of several Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leaders have
\ndisappeared in the past week, with the rebels pointing their
\nfingers at the Indonesian military.<\/p>\n
GAM spokesman for North Aceh region Teungku Jamaika said
\nTuesday that the wives of three GAM leaders -- GAM commander for
\nAceh Rayeuk in North Aceh Teungku Nasir, deputy GAM commander for
\nAceh Rayeuk Teungku Muharram, and GAM officer Teungku Ampon --
\nhave gone missing in the past week.<\/p>\n
The wife of Teungku Ishak Daud, GAM commander for East Aceh,
\nCut Rostina Ismail, was reportedly also missing.<\/p>\n
Military operation spokesman Lt. Col. Ahmad Yani Basuki
\nadmitted Tuesday that they took Ishak Daud's wife but stressed
\nthat she had been released on Monday.<\/p>\n
Yani said the military had brought Rostina and two children --
\na 2-year-old and a baby of nine months -- to her in-laws home in
\nTepian Jaring Kuala village, Idi Rayeuk regency, East Aceh, on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
According to Yani, troops had earlier secured information on
\nIshak Daud's presence at a house in Gaseh Sayang village, Idi Cut
\nregency, East Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"Troops at Idi Cut military command post raided the house on
\nSunday, but only Rostina was there,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Yani also admitted that the military had once detained and
\nquestioned the wife of GAM military commander Muzakkir Manaf.<\/p>\n
\"But she cannot give much information. Moreover, the wives of
\nGAM officials are not TNI operation targets, so we just released
\nthem with no strings attached,\" he added.<\/p>\n
However, Ishak Daud claimed on Tuesday there was still no sign
\nof his wife and children returning to any of his relatives.<\/p>\n
\"I don't know what has been going on with my wife and children
\nbecause I have not seen.<\/p>\n
\"What kind of military tactic is this? My wife is not a rebel
\nnor a member of the Inong Balee which has a structure in GAM.
\nIt's not a civilized way,\" Ishak told The Jakarta Post on
\nTuesday, adding that he would try to provide a lawyer for his
\nwife should the military interrogate her.<\/p>\n
Inong Balee is a woman's organization subordinate to GAM. Most
\nof its members are Acehnese women who decided to join the
\nmovement due to various reasons, including the deaths of their
\nhusbands and families in the prolonged war against government
\nsoldiers.<\/p>\n
Teungku Nazir's wife Erlinawati Zainun disappeared last Friday
\nwith her three children aged six, three, and one respectively.
\nNazir's sister-in-law Apriyani, 25, and her children Surya, 5,
\nand Diana, 2, were also taken with Erlinawati.<\/p>\n
Teungku Ampon's wife Fithri Wahab, 25, and their child Cut
\nFonna, 2, were snatched from their home last Friday.<\/p>\n
\"We still don't know their whereabouts,\" Teungku Jamaika said.<\/p>\n
The government launched on May 19 the so-called joint
\noperation aimed at cracking down on GAM rebels who have been
\nfighting for independence for the resource-rich Nanggroe Aceh
\nDarussalam province since 1976. Over 10,000 people, mostly
\ncivilians, have been killed since then.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wives-of-gam-leaders-disappear-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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