47 civilians die in Aceh violence

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: The armed conflict between the Indonesian Military and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has claimed the lives of 47 civilians over the past three months.

A spokesman for the Aceh civil emergency administration, Sr. Comr. Sayed Hoesaini, said on Saturday another 40 civilians had been wounded in the violence.

He said that since martial law was lifted three months ago and replaced by a state of civil emergency, some 380 members of GAM had been killed and 179 arrested.

On the TNI side, 14 soldiers have been killed and 48 others injured. -- JP