Black day for Military as Aceh conflict intensifies

Black day for Military as Aceh conflict intensifies

Berni K. Moestafa
The Jakarta Post
Lhokseumawe, Aceh

Just hours after claiming to have made significant progress in
its operation to crush the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), the
Indonesian Military (TNI) lost seven soldiers during a clash in
Matang Kumbang, Bireun regency, Aceh, on Monday.

It was the highest number of casualties the TNI has suffered
in one single incident so far in the province, and comes as the
offensive entered its fourth week.

According to the Military, the soldiers died pursuing rebels
who ambushed their convoy of three trucks carrying around 20
soldiers from the first Strike Force Detachment.

In addition, six other soldiers and one officer from the
police's paramilitary Mobil Brigade (Brimob) were injured in the
gunfight, which lasted for about three hours. The Military said
five rebels were also killed in the incident.

"This is our biggest loss so far in terms of casualties
suffered in a battle," said Aceh Military Operation Commander
Brig. Gen. Bambang Darmono, who described the troops as "heroic".

"They (the soldiers) could have fled the ambush. But they
didn't, they went out to fight."

The rebels first attacked the convoy with a hand grenade,
which hit the first truck, said Bambang during a press conference
on Tuesday.

He said the soldiers immediately pursued the attackers, and
spotted them at the top of a hill, where they had taken up
position.

Bambang said that some of the soldiers flanked the rebels from
the right so they could fire at them from two sides.

Showing a video of the site where the battle occurred, he said
the GAM rebels clearly had topographical advantage on their side.
The soldiers had to fight their way up the hill, meaning the
rebels had a clear field of fire at them.

The first three soldiers died as they reached the top of the
hill, while four others died trying to recover the bodies of the
dead and evacuate the wounded. The seven who died were Lt. Karno,
Second Pvt. Apri, First Pvt. Askar Badu, Second Pvt Bian S. Tago,
Second Pvt. Adam Nur, Second Pvt. Yafet Hermisa and First Pvt.
Happy Sasinggih.

Bambang said that some of the attackers were members of GAM's
female military wing, Inong Balee. He suspected that most of them
were still in the Matang Kumbang area.

In another related development, Coordinating Minister for
Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the
government would ban foreigners, whether tourists, activists or
journalists, from the province as their presence there could
disrupt the military operation and put their lives in danger.

"This ban is urgent to avoid any foreign victims in the
province, and to help make the military operation a success," he
said on a visit to Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Tuesday.

A German tourist was shot dead and his wife was injured while
camping on a beach in Lhok Gayo village, Aceh Jaya regency, last
Wednesday.

Meanwhile, martial law administrator Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya
called on all staff of the Geneva-based Henry Dunant Centre
(HDC), who helped monitor the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement
signed on Dec. 9, 2002, to leave the province as their presence
was no longer needed to mediate between the two conflicting
sides.

"So far the HDC staff are still in Aceh, but we expect that
they will leave the province immediately," martial law
administration spokesman Col. Ditya Soedarsono said in Banda
Aceh.