Clash threatens Aceh peace

Clash threatens Aceh peace

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

The first confirmed cross-fire involving Indonesian Military
(TNI) soldiers and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) guerrillas broke out
on Sunday, putting a peace deal in the province to a serious
test.

No injuries or casualties were reported during the brief
gunfight, which occurred in hills near a village in Indrapuri
district, Aceh Besar.

The incident come a few days before hundreds of GAM prisoners
are set to return home after receiving an amnesty from
prosecution.

Later on Sunday, a team comprising representatives from the
military, the police and the Initial Monitoring Presence -- a
precursor to the international Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM)
which is to begin operating on Sept. 15 -- went to the site of
the incident to investigate.

The team reportedly found a number of bullet shells and three
huts up in the hill. It has yet to file a report on the matter.

Both sides immediately accused each other of violating the
peace accord signed on Aug. 15 in Helsinki.

Iskandar Muda Military Commander overseeing Aceh Maj. Gen.
Supiadin alleged GAM members had breached the peace agreement by
carrying weapons in public and firing at government soldiers.

Supiadin said the incident happened when a group of 16
soldiers from the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) were ambushed
by the guerrillas while patrolling near Muereu village at around
8:30 a.m.

A military source said the rebels started to open fire from
their hideout on the hill.

"We had no option but to retaliate. It took about 10 minutes
for our soldiers to regain control. The rebels stopped shooting
at us and moved away," the commander of the military's strike
force overseeing Aceh Besar, Lt. Col. Irlan Suryadi, said.

Meureu is located about 25 kilometers from the provincial
capital of Banda Aceh and is known as a GAM stronghold.

GAM spokesman overseeing Aceh Besar, Tgk. Muchsalmina,
confirmed the incident had occurred. However, he accused the TNI
of ambushing the soldiers and violating an item in the peace deal
that bans patrols beyond a radius of 750 meters from a military
post.

Under the peace pact, guerrillas are banned from traveling
outside their bases carrying weapons, while troops are to patrol
no further than 750 meters from their posts.

"They (the soldiers) violated the clause. They ambushed us and
we had no choice but to open fire at them," Muchsalmina said.

He called on the AMM to investigate the case fairly.

AMM chairman Pieter Feith urged TNI and GAM leaders to order
their troops to comply with the peace agreement and said
commanders from both sides must take the necessary measures to
prevent their troops from attacking the other.

The Acehnese Civil Society Task Force (ACSTF) said both
parties should also refrain from making statements that could
hamper the peace process.

"The peace agreement between the Indonesian government and the
GAM is still in its infancy and it requires all of our efforts to
hold to it," said Imam Suja, a House of Representatives lawmaker.

"We should learn a lesson from the previous Cessation of
Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) that collapsed within months after
both parties committed violations in the field."

That peace agreement signed in December 2002 lasted only five
months before the government imposed martial law in Aceh.

Under the Helsinki peace pact, GAM has agreed to surrender 840
firearms between Sept. 15 and the end of the year, while during
the same period the military is required to pull out troops in
proportion to the surrendered weapons.