Army to dispatch special troops to Aceh province

JAKARTA (JP): Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said on Wednesday the Army has been preparing "special troops" to be dispatched to Aceh, following the government's decision to impose a limited military operation in the troubled province.

"We have been training six companies of troops in Batujajar (Bandung, West Java) since February and they will complete the training by the end of this month.

"These troops have been trained exclusively on how to conduct anti-guerrilla warfare, in an effort to quell the armed troops of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM)," Endriartono said after installing Col. M. Arief Siregar as the Army's new Director of Law, replacing Brig. Gen. P.L.T. Sihombing at the Army's Law Directorate in West Jakarta.

The four-star general said the special troops consist of soldiers selected from the Army Strategic Reserves Command's (Kostrad) second division based in Malang, East Java, as well as West Java's Siliwangi Military Command and Jakarta Military Command.

Some of the troops have also been recruited from among Central Java Diponegoro Military Command's crack troops, the Banteng (wild bull) Raiders.

The troops, who have been trained under the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) at its education and training center in Batujajar, are grouped under the Rajawali (Hawk) II Team, comprising one battalion of 771 soldiers.

They have been receiving training in various activities, including anti-guerrilla warfare, street combat, residential combat, densely-populated residential combat, ambush strategy, and shoot to kill techniques.

"I told these soldiers that they have to win every battle. They, however, must uphold the law in order to avoid human rights abuses," Endriartono said.

He said he had asked the Indonesian Military (TNI) chief to deploy the troops far away from the people's residences, in an effort to avoid direct confrontation with innocent locals.

He also called on the Acehnese to remain calm in observing the military operation because the troops are there "to free the people from GAM's oppression".

The Army chief said the troops will conduct the operations separate from those of the police, but will coordinate with them.

"Our major duty is to crush GAM, while the police and the military's regular troops are there to maintain security in the region," Endriartono said.

Back in Aceh, tension continued to rise on Wednesday. No less than 19,000 residents from several villages in East Aceh and West Aceh have fled their homes this month in fear of escalating conflicts between rebels and security forces.

Members of the humanitarian pause's Peace for Dialog team, T. Kamaruzzaman and Kamal S., said the refugees "are in a very poor state and badly need food and other supplies", Antara reported.

The refugees have been leaving their homes and residing in the towns of Perlak, Idi and Bireuen Bayen in East Aceh, and in Sungai Mas of Kaway XVI district in West Aceh.

Locals living near the temporarily-closed industrial compound of ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia in North Aceh also started to pack and leave their homes on Wednesday.

"Lots of men here fled to the mosques while the women were busy collecting the household belongings," said Muhammad Amin, a local from Meunasah Krieng in Tanah Luas district, North Aceh.

People apparently fear that violence could erupt at any time, suggested by intensive security patrols in the area.

At least five people were killed in South Aceh on Wednesday.

Two of the victims remain unidentified after being burned to death during a fire in Kampung Baru village, Kluet Utara district.

The fire occurred following a sweeping operation by security forces in the area, witnesses said.

Dozens of houses and three trucks were also burned during the incident, a local driver said.

"We have not yet received any reports about the case," South Aceh deputy police chief Agus Mandarwanto said.

The other three fatalities, including a woman, were found with gunshot wounds in Pasi Raja village later in the day.

They were identified as Khatidjah, Syarifuddin and Chairul, an activist said.

On Tuesday, gunmen ambushed convoys of security officers in Teupin Gajah village, also in South Aceh.

Marine Pvt. Antonius Subianto was killed in the attack, while Joint Battalion chief Capt. Teguh suffered minor gunshot wounds, South Aceh Military District chief Lt. Col. Purwanto said.

In East Aceh, fire razed some 30 houses and kiosks at villages of Seunebok Bace, Titi Baro and Tanoh Anoe, local residents said.

"The houses were burned because the people reportedly refused to raise the red-and-white flag," locals, Mohammad Yacub bin Harun and Ismail bin Yusuf, said. (edt/02/50)