Accusing GAM of

Accusing GAM of
school arson

From Koran Tempo

A week after the declaration of martial law in Nanggroe Aceh
Darussalam, about 350 school buildings have been burned down,
causing some 100,000 students to be without a school.

It would make sense to say that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
has burnt these buildings because it is at school that Indonesian
nationalism, which GAM hates most, is being nurtured.

The burning of schools must be condemned. By committing this
crime, GAM has prevented the younger Acehnese generation from
pursuing knowledge. Ironically, GAM leaders keep saying that they
are trying to elevate the living standard of the Acehnese.

One of GAM leaders, Teungku Amri bin Abd has returned to the
fold of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia. He said that GAM had
now deviated from the original spirit of their struggle.
Acehnese are now distancing themselves from GAM. Therefore to win
the hearts and minds of the Acehnese, the government must
immediately repair or replace public facilities that GAM has
destroyed.

The integrated operation and the security restoration
operation must proceed.

Pressure must be applied on GAM through international lobbying
to ensure that it gives up its ambition to set up a separate Aceh
state. This is the consequence of maintaining Aceh as an integral
part of Indonesia.

IFUL SAMEY
Bogor, West Java