Aceh rebels admit attack on police

Aceh rebels admit attack on police

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist
rebels admitted on Monday to having attacked Police Mobile
Brigade (Brimob) officers in Nisam district of North Aceh,
killing three of them and severely injuring five others.

GAM representative in the joint security committee, Amni bin
Ahmad Marzuki, told the media at Hotel Kuala Tripa here the
ambush on Sunday was conducted "for self-defense". A GAM member
was shot dead in the clash.

Amni said there were conflicting chronologies between the
security forces and GAM on the incident, but confirmed "it was
done by GAM members and we express sincere condolences to the
victims' families."

"We hope that none of these things will ever occur again," he
said.

But gunfights between security forces and GAM reportedly
continued in Nisam, Kuta Makmur and Muara Dua in North Aceh. No
immediate report on casualties was available.

Head of the government representatives to the joint committee
on security modalities set up to implement the truce, Senior
Superintendent Ridwan Karim, said he has already filed a protest
with GAM and a higher forum in Geneva over the attack.

"Security forces will track down the shooters as the ambush
clearly violates the ground rules already agreed between the
Republic of Indonesia and GAM," Ridwan said.

The three-month truce, signed in Geneva in May and effective
on June 2, calls for both sides to reduce tension and violence in
Aceh by confining their troops and laying down their weapons.

GAM commander in North Aceh Abu Sofyan Daud said the incident
was not intentional but was unavoidable.

"We encountered the Brimob officers as we were trying to evade
pursuit by members of the sub-district military command in Buloh
Blang Ara," Daud said.

Separately in Jakarta, the Ministry for Political Affairs and
Security Spokesman Brig. Gen. I Wayan Karya said the humanitarian
aid in Aceh will be mainly used to supply basic necessities and
provide education for children.

"The Coordinating Ministry of People's Welfare and Poverty
Eradication has setup a task force to handle all humanitarian aid
to ensure that it will go straight to the people," Wayan said
after the political affairs and security meeting on Monday.

The government will sign an agreement with the United Nations
Development Program (UNDP) to coordinate the disbursement and
gathering of the humanitarian aid for Aceh form inside or outside
the country. No definite schedule has been set for the signing.

"Only the Coordinating Ministry of People's Welfare and
Poverty Eradication and UNDP are authorized to receive and
disburse humanitarian aid for Aceh. All aid goes through only one
door at the two agencies," he added. (50/edt/dja)