Aceh observes tense Independence Day

Aceh observes tense Independence Day

Nani Farida and Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh/Medan

A series of bomb explosions punctuated the celebration of
Independence Day in conflict-torn Aceh, as another bomb explosion
rocked a hotel in Medan, capital of North Sumatra. It was
believed to be connected with the shooting dead of two members of
the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in the city on Friday.

Celebrations in other conflict-torn provinces went ahead
peacefully.

A homemade bomb exploded in a field in Blang Padang, where
hundreds of local officials were attending an Independence Day
celebration early on Saturday, leaving 13 people injured.

The victims, several in a critical condition, were rushed to
the Zainoel Arifin general hospital in the city.

Fikri and Husain, also in critical condition, were taken to
Medan for intensive care.

The explosion, which shocked ceremony participants, occurred
after two children with a bicycle accidentally disturbed a
plastic bag that contained the bomb, detonating it.

The night before the celebration, several bombs also exploded
and gunfights took place between security personnel and rebels at
separate locations in the city and in Lhokseumawe, but no
casualties were reported.

Two security personnel were injured in another bomb explosion
while both were on patrol in the city on Friday night.

At the same time, another bomb rocked the office of the Syah
Kuala subdistrict chief, while two gunfights broke out between
security personnel and rebels in separate locations in Blang
Bintang.

The situation in major cities in the province has been tense
since GAM called for a mass rally while local authorities called
on the public to celebrate Independence Day in the customary
fashion.

Public transportation stopped running after a passenger bus
was burned by unidentified gunmen near Bireuen on Thursday, and
almost all shops remained closed.

On Friday, more than 700 people, including students, held a
mass rally, demanding independence for the province.

Local officials blamed GAM for the bombings, with a strong
warning that they would take tough measures against it unless it
stopped resorting to violence.

Aceh Besar Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Alfons said the police
had discovered that rebels had infiltrated the celebration site
by wearing civil servant uniforms.

He said the local police and military would continue to carry
out searches around the city in anticipation of possible future
action by GAM.

Chief of the Iskandar Muda Military Command (overseeing
security in Aceh) Maj. Gen. Djali Jusuf said he had ordered all
personnel deployed in the province to improve security in areas
likely to be the target of bombings, in Aceh Besar, Pidie and
North and East Aceh.

"All personnel have been ordered to take tough action against
anyone who tries to disturb security and order," he said.

In Medan, North Sumatra Police chief. Insp. Gen. Ansyaad Mbaai
said the bombing at Best Western Hotel Asean International had a
close link with the killing of two GAM rebels in the Sunggal area
of the city.

"The two people who threw the grenade escaped a gunfight with
the local police in Sunggal. We are looking for them," he said.

Lukman and Abdullah, who had cellular phones containing
secret GAM call signs were killed in the gunfight, while two
others escaped.

Mbaai said the police were cracking down on certain locations
in the city used by GAM as new supply points.

Eighty rebels had been killed in the city over the last two
years, he added.

GAM spokesman in Banda Aceh Tengku Radak claimed
responsibility on behalf of GAM for the bombings, which, he said,
were aimed at expressing GAM's hatred of the military.

"The military has insulted the Acehnese people, who were
forced to raise the national flag despite their unwillingness.

"Many villagers were beaten because they wouldn't raise the
Indonesian flag," he said.

He cited as an example Suwarni Abdullah, a 17-year-old high
school student from Cot Teube, Bireuen, who was shot at by
security personnel for refusing to raise the national flag in
front of her house.

Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto,
still fresh from his two-day visit to the province, condemned GAM
for the series of bombings, saying security authorities would
take tougher action against them.

"The security authorities cannot properly cover such a large
province. Despite the bombings and clashes, the situation in the
province remains under control," he said after participating in
the Independence Day celebration at Merdeka Palace on Saturday.

The government is scheduled on Monday to determine the action
necessary to end the prolonged conflict in Aceh.

Celebrations of Independence Day went off peacefully in Papua,
Maluku and Poso.

Papua Governor Jaap Salossa, who led the official ceremony to
mark Indonesia's 57th anniversary of independence, voiced his
appreciation of the Papuan people's nationalism. He said many
people had talked about independence only, whereas they really
supported the Indonesian unitary state.

On Thursday, hundreds of former political inmates staged a
peaceful demonstration in Jayapura, capital of Papua, demanding
the territory's separation from Indonesia. They said that Papua
was not one of the territories that declared their independence
as the Indonesian unitary state on Aug 17, 1945.

Chief of the Wirabuana Military Command (overseeing security
in Sulawesi) Maj. Gen. Amirul Isnaeni said more than 100 combat
soldiers had been deployed to Poso.

"The reinforcements are needed to deal with the reemergence of
violence in the formerly restive regency over the last several
weeks," he said in Makassar, South Sulawesi.