Aceh calm after GAM celebration

Aceh calm after GAM celebration

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): The situation was generally calm in
this restive province on Sunday following an overnight
celebration of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) anniversary, except
for police shooting of a young reveler in Pidie.

Business activities returned to normal with markets and shops
reopening and public transportation reoperating, reports said.

A number of buses plying Banda Aceh to the neighboring
province North Sumatra's capital Medan were seen along roads
linking the two towns.

But tension gripped Pidie for the second day running when
police troops fired on 2,000 people marching on the main road
connecting Banda Aceh and Medan in Uglele subdistrict from
Bireun. The mass, some of them waved GAM flags and referendum
banners, was heading for Sigli, some 100 kilometers away from
Bireun.

Pidie Police Chief Lt. Col. Endang E. Mikail Bagus identified
the victim as Effendi Ahmad, 20, a resident of Batai Raya village
in Bireun.

The shooting took place before dusk in front of the Uglele
police station.

"We had to fire warning shots after one of the people lowered
the national flag at a high school near the police station. Some
of them also attacked the police," Endang said, defending the
shooting.

Witnesses said Effendi was shot in the head. He died on way to
a doctor in neighboring Merdu subdistrict.

Carrying Effendi's body, the mass insisted on carrying on the
march to Sigli. But dozens of police stopped them in Merdu and
after two hours of negotiations, they canceled their plan.

In East Aceh, about 3,000 children and teenagers poured into
the main streets along Peurelak to the Langsa area, waving GAM
flags and referendum banners.

The rally, which started at midday on Sunday, eventually ended
later in a day without incident.

It was also reported in West Aceh that locals continued the
search for two missing civilians over the weekend in Teunom
district, 200 kilometers southeast of Banda Aceh.

The two men, identified as Sarwani, 25, and Muchtar, 25, went
missing after their groups of a referendum parade were dispersed
by officers of Mobile Brigade at Alue Ambang village in Teunom on
Saturday.

Another civilian, Zainal Abidin, 35, survived the incident
with a gunshot wound and was being treated at Meulaboh hospital.

Locals said it was possible that the two missing men jump into
the Teunom river to flee the fray, but some also suspected that
they were brought in to Mobile Brigade Police headquarters in
Meulaboh.

West Aceh Police chief Lt. Col. Her Aris Sumarman confirmed
the incident, but denied allegations that his office made the
arrest. "None of Saturday's parade participants were captured,"
Aris said on Sunday.

Police were forced to disperse the crowd after spotting some
armed civilians within the parade, Her Aris said.

GAM chief in Meuhorom Daya, Teunom, however, denied on Sunday
that there were armed GAM members joining the parade. "We're busy
securing the flag hoisting ceremony," he said.

Separately in Yogyakarta, People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
Speaker Amien Rais reiterated on Sunday that it is impossible to
involve a third party in solving the Aceh matter, as requested by
GAM.

"A third party is only needed when it comes to international
disputes like the East Timor case," Amien said after attending a
ground breaking ceremony for the development of Baitul Qohhar
Mosque in Kota Gede.

Amien also expressed his gladness that the GAM anniversary
went without incidents of tearing the red-and-white national
flag.

"We hope that this is a good sign and reconciliation can soon
start in this coming holy fasting month," Amien said.

In Semarang, political observer from Diponegoro University Ari
Pradanawati warned the government and military to be cautious of
possible horizontal conflicts between Acehnese.

A split between supporters of Aceh's independence and the ones
who want to stay part of the country is emerging, Ari said,
pointing to example of calls for refugees sheltered in North
Sumatra to reenter Aceh and join GAM.

"We have to avoid greater conflict, which can add to the
already complex problem," Ari said on Saturday.

Earlier on Saturday, about 50 Islamic students from Semarang
met with provincial councilors, calling on the Acehnese to stop
efforts to separate from the country and abort a plan to build an
Islamic state. "We belong together. We can build a better
future," Mardjono, the group leader, said.

The students also called on councilors to make a concrete
statement for Aceh to stay part of the republic.

President Abdurrahman Wahid has so far ruled out a referendum
on independence and has warned that Jakarta would take repressive
action against any efforts to break away from the country.
(44/50/har/edt/byg)