Aceh rebels have 'zero point zero' faith in Jakarta

Aceh rebels have 'zero point zero' faith in Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Self-exiled representatives of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) said on Sunday their faith in Jakarta remained "zero point zero" despite agreeing to extend the cease-fire in the province.

Zaini Abdullah, who attended the talks on the cease-fire extension and claims to be the health minister for the separatist movement, maintained there was no real building of confidence during the talks.

"I don't think so ... right now our confidence in the Indonesian side is zero point zero," he said during a telephone interview with Reuters from Stockholm. "It is still zero point zero."

"I cannot now see any good results," Abdullah said. "But we do try and try, and it is very important for us to hope."

In talks held near Geneva, Indonesian government officials and GAM representatives agreed on Friday to extend the cease-fire in the territory indefinitely and to hold a broad political dialog aimed at ending the conflict in the troubled province.

The two sides pledged to expand confidence-building contacts between their forces following the recent first meeting between their field commanders and the establishment of a "hot line" to prevent violent incidents.

In a statement following the talks, negotiators claimed that violence in the province had decreased since the accord to reduce violence first came into effect.

While acknowledging that these arrangements were very important, Abdullah questioned Indonesia's commitment to peace in Aceh.

Abdullah pointed to statements by Indonesian officials that Jakarta would not enter into talks under the auspices of the Swiss-based Henri Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialog.

"From our side, we need to have international involvement. We will not talk with them without the international bodies," he said, insisting that the involvement of the centre was the minimum prerequisite.

"We do not even need the international heavyweights, but we need witnesses. I can say that we would talk about nothing if we sat together just with the Indonesians, because we have no confidence. Zero point zero."

In Aceh, as was the case after previous agreements between GAM and the Indonesian government, there was no letup in the violence.

A suspected GAM rebel was killed in a clash with soldiers in Cot Rheu village, Kuta Makmur subdistrict, North Aceh, on Saturday.

North Aceh Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Wanto Sumardi said T.M. Nazar, 23, was shot when soldiers on patrol near the village clashed with rebel forces.

However, GAM's spokesman in North Aceh, Abu Sofyan Daud, said Nazar was not killed during an exchange of fire, but was murdered after being kidnapped.

"TNI (the Indonesian Military) and the National Police have broken the truce agreement by continuing their attacks on GAM headquarters," he said.

He also claimed that on Friday two residents of Tanah Pasir were kidnapped and forced to show soldiers the location of GAM headquarters.

"When the two said that they did not know the location, the TNI soldiers became angry and killed them," Abu said.

When asked about the incident, Wanto said he had heard these rumors, but insisted the police were not on patrol at that time.(50/hdn)