Aceh military post attacked, soldiers nabbed

Aceh military post attacked, soldiers nabbed

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Alleged separatist rebels of the Free
Aceh Movement (GAM) stormed a Military Subdistrict Command
headquarters in Montasiek district, Aceh Besar, on Friday, and
kidnapped four soldiers.

Police Special Operation Cinta Meunasah spokesman Sr. Supt.
Kusbini Imbar said the fate of the four Army soldiers remains
unknown.

According to Kusbini, the mob gathered when soldiers were out
performing Friday Prayers at a nearby mosque. Only four soldiers
stayed at the command compound, situated some 20-kilometers east
of Banda Aceh.

He said the attackers also seized several firearms before
making their escape, however police have yet to receive reports
on the identities of the soldiers and the number of missing
weapons.

"We have sent security officers to the location to try and
track them down," Kusbini said.

Separately, Aceh Besar Military District Command Lt. Col.
Ferdinand Setiawan also confirmed the attack and said troops were
being deployed to find the perpetrators.

But the GAM commander in Aceh Besar, Ayah Muni, denied that
his forces were involved in the attack.

In a separate development, Aceh Police chief Brig. Gen.
Chaerul R. Rasyidi said on Friday that police are currently
questioning a civilian and have arrested three security
personnel, allegedly implicated in the killing of a resident and
three activists of the Rehabilitation Action for Torture Victims
in Aceh (RATA).

Chaerul, however, refused to identify them.

Meanwhile in Jakarta, a spokesman confirmed on Friday that
President Abdurrahman Wahid would not declare the use of Islamic
law in Aceh during a one-day visit to the troubled province on
Tuesday.

"No, it is the Acehnese people through their provincial
council who should take the initiative," Presidential spokesman
Wimar Witoelar said when asked whether Abdurrahman would impose
Islamic shariah law in the province.

Wimar was speaking at a press conference at Halim
Perdanakusumah airport upon Abdurrahman's arrival from a two-day
visit to Bangkok.

Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh claimed last week that during the
visit, Abdurrahman is scheduled to announce the application of
Islamic law in the province.

He also said the President is scheduled to witness a ceremony
to mark the handover of government funds worth Rp 100 billion for
the Aceh economic recovery program.

However, Defense Minister Mahfud M.D on Thursday said that it
was unnecessary to declare Islamic law as it has already been
stipulated in the 1999 law on Aceh.

Wimar admitted on Friday that Abdurrahman "has no specific
agenda" during the Aceh visit and said the visit "is mainly aimed
at demonstrating the President's support for the Acehnese".

"The President is going there to demonstrate that he is on the
Aceh people's side. He wants to continue to find a solution to
the Aceh problem, working alongside the Acehnese," Wimar said.

Calls for a referendum on self-determination have been on the
rise in Aceh, but Jakarta has ruled out independence and pledged
broad autonomy for the province.

Abdurrahman has repeatedly said that Jakarta would place more
emphasis on negotiations with the Acehnese to seek solutions to
the Aceh problem.

Top security ministers and army generals seem to be running
out of patience with the approach, however, saying that "there is
a limit to dialog".

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto was frank on
Friday saying that "it is about time the military should play a
role" in Aceh.

Speaking to reporters after presiding over a military ceremony
in Semarang, Central Java, Endriartono said police were not
properly trained to combat guerrilla warfare waged by members of
the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in the troubled province.

He said, however, that military operations in Aceh should only
be the last resort.(02/byg/50/lup)