Aceh raises GAM flags; six hurt

SIGLI, Aceh (JP): Thousands of people turned up at flag hoisting ceremonies marking the anniversary of the Gerakan Aceh Merdeka or Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in the province on Saturday.

Police and the military maintained a low-key presence in towns where ceremonies were held, including here, the capital of Pidie regency, and in Greater Aceh, North Aceh and West Aceh regencies.

Six people, however, received gun shot wounds when soldiers opened fire to disperse GAM supporters from conducting motorcade processions in Pidie and in North Aceh.

Aceh Police chief Brig. Gen. Bahrumsyah Kasman said that other than these two minor incidents, the day passed off peacefully, defying earlier fears of massive unrest.

"I thank the people of Aceh, every one, the ulemas, the students and even the GAM people, for showing restraint," Bahrumsyah said in an interview with state-owned TVRI.

Not all Acehnese went out to show their support for the movement. Thousands in Banda Aceh, capital of the province, thronged the mosques to say prayers for peace in the province.

The military had earlier warned the people against raising GAM's flag -- a white crescent and star on a red background, with white and black stripes at the top and bottom -- saying that such an act amounted to a treason.

Later they toned down their warning, saying that they would only take action against anyone trying to lower the red and white national flag.

The military kept its distance from the ceremonies which were held in public places.

Saturday marked the 23rd anniversary of GAM, which has waged low-level guerrilla warfare against the central government in its fight for an independent state. This is the first time that the underground movement had celebrated its anniversary in the open, with a display of its armed soldiers and public support.

In North Aceh regency, thousands of people thronged to Bate Iliek for the two-hour ceremony led by Abdullah Syafiie, the self-proclaimed field commander of the movement. Dozens of Indonesian and foreign journalists covered the event.

Still without a national anthem, the flag hoisting ceremony was accompanied instead by adzan, the Muslim call to prayer.

Many of the women could not hold back their emotion. "I can't believe this. Aceh is really free," one of them said in tears.

In a speech read at the ceremony, Hasan M. Tiro, the 75-year old founder and president of the movement who is living in exile in Sweden, ruled out negotiating with "Java-Indonesian imperialists".

"There's no need for a dialog with a bunch of liars," he said, adding that Aceh is already a sovereign nation.

Abdullah told reporters later that GAM could not trust President Abdurrahman Wahid. "He vowed to pull out the military. But there are still many soldiers in Aceh now. He is liar."

The GAM forces taking part in the ceremony included 500 members of the special command, 102 police officers, 275 privates, 70 intelligence officers, 95 members of the elite force Karades and a 135-strong force of women soldiers. All, without exception, carried arms and wore battle fatigues.

"These are all trained forces," Darwis Jeunib, the commander of the Bate Iliek command, said.

In Sigli, GAM supporters organized a motorcade procession of cars, open trucks and motorcycles, in defiance of military warnings against such a public display.

Clashes were unavoidable when the procession, which began from the nearby town of Bureunuen, came across a military road block near the Sigli Military Command headquarters.

The soldiers ordered the procession to turn back and demanded that all GAM flags be handed over, according to witnesses. Suddenly, shots were heard, some of which were directed at GAM supporters. Some of them were also seen clashing with the military.

Police later said two people received gun shot wounds and two others were injured during the stampede, but local human rights activists said three sustained gun shot wounds, and dozens were injured after being beaten and kicked.

They were identified as Lukman Wahab and Usman Basyah of Mutiara district and Bustami of Beuah Delima.

Those injured were treated at Sigli general hospital.

Lt. Col. Iskandar, chief of the Pidie Military District, told reporters his men fired only after someone from the crowd had opened fire at the military first.

Iskandar also lamented the mobilization of the people by GAM, and the use of GAM flags during the rally.

GAM supporters disputed the military's version of events, saying they did not hear any shots coming from their side. "We agreed to turn back as requested, and when we did, they opened fire," said Abdul Muthaleb, one of the participants at the rally. The Achenese had been bracing themselves for the GAM anniversary for the past week. Thousands, mostly migrants, left the province altogether, amidst rumors of a violent clash between GAM and the military.

Most large towns were crippled on Saturday morning with people either staying indoors, or thronging the open fields to GAM ceremonies or to mosques for peace prayers. Life slowly returned to normal by late afternoon.

The military and police guarded the main roads. The military ordered the lowering of GAM flags that lined the highway between Banda Aceh and the industrial town of Lhokseumawe.

None of the residents, however, admitted to having put up the flags, saying that they were raised during the evening while they were asleep.

Production at PT Arun NGL Co.'s liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant and gas fields in Lhokseumawe ran as usual.

"An LNG tanker left for Japan in the morning without any interruption," Siddick Nitikusuma, head of security at Pertamina's foreign contractor management body, said by phone from Medan.

The nearby gas fields operated by Mobil Oil supplying the LNG plant also ran as usual, he said.

"Every thing is under control ... and our buyers need not worry about future LNG supply," he said.

About 2,500 workers had been evacuated from the LNG and the Arun gas plants to Medan, but major activities were continuing.

Reports from Medan, meanwhile, said that all buses headed towards Aceh were suspended on Saturday.

Jamaludin, a driver of an Artha intercity bus, said his boss instructed all drivers to halt operations on Friday and Saturday.

"We will resume operations if everything is okay tomorrow," he said.

At least six companies operate the Aceh route from Medan.

Syahrul, who is in charge of ticket sales for Anugrah, Kurnia, and Pusaka buses, said business was sluggish on Saturday.

"My boss did not want us to stop operating, but no one was traveling," he said. (51/39/jsk)