1,850 troops set for Aceh

1,850 troops set for Aceh

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Military (TNI) will soon dispatch at least 1,850
replacement troops to the rebellious Aceh province, Deputy Army
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Kiki Syahnakrie said on Saturday.

The force, scheduled to depart for Aceh early in April, will
consist of 125 Marines and 100 elite Air Force personnel, with
the rest of the troops coming from the Army, including 12
companies of search-and-destroy personnel, he said.

Kiki said the troops had just completed special training on
technical skills and combat tactics in Cipatat, Bandung, and
Cilacap, Central Java. The training began on March 4 and ended on
Saturday.

"The training was to prepare and improve the antiguerrilla
operational capabilities of Army hunters assigned for duty in
Aceh," Kiki was quoted by Antara as telling journalists after
officially closing the training in Cipatat, Bandung.

Earlier on Saturday, TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie
Sjamsoeddin said more than 42,000 troops had been assigned to
trouble spots around the country, including Irian Jaya and
Maluku, with almost half this number being sent to Aceh.

From April 2001 to March 2002, at least 122 military and
police personnel have been killed and 411 injured in Aceh, he
said as quoted by Antara. Four others went missing and two were
kidnapped, according to Sjafrie.

He also said at least 736 separatist rebels were killed in
gunfights and 292 others arrested during this same period, while
621 civilians died.

From Feb. 10 to March 12 alone, at least 66 rebels, 17 police
officers and military soldiers, and 44 civilians were killed in
Aceh, he added.

In a speech read by Kiki during Saturday's ceremony, Army
Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto asked the soldiers to
maintain the toughness and enthusiasm in Aceh that they showed
during their training.

"(We do not want) anymore victims in the operational region
due to the poor skills and professionalism of soldiers," the
speech said.

He also asked the troops to remain strong and to adjust to the
environment during their tour in Aceh.

"As chosen soldiers, use the trust (shown you) as motivation
to carry out your duties to defend the nation and country with
proud actions.

"But the tactical and technical skills you possess in
guerrilla warfare will be meaningless should the local people not
support you," he said.

The Army chief also warned the troops against committing human
rights abuses in Aceh.

The military and police have been accused of widespread human
rights violations in the province and other trouble regions
across the country. However, no senior officer has been charged
with rights abuses in Aceh.

Kiki said separatist fighting was intensifying in at least
four regions in Aceh -- North Aceh, Bireun, Pidie and East Aceh
-- and that the areas required special handling from the
authorities.

"The security situation in the four regions is not as good as
in other (regions), so more troop deployments are needed there,"
he said.

"Nevertheless, the security in those areas is better now than
it was last year," he added.

The central government has granted wide-ranging autonomy to
the rebellious province, including the enforcement of Islamic
law, or syariah.

However, the special autonomy status has not appeased the Free
Aceh Movement, which has long been campaigning for an independent
Islamic state in Aceh.