Explosions mar Independence Day festivities in Aceh

Explosions mar Independence Day festivities in Aceh

LHOKSEUMAWE, North Aceh (JP): Red-and-white flags were flying
high along the streets here for Independence Day celebrations on
Friday, but most shops in the town were closed and business
activities at a standstill.

Only a few people came to observe a tightly guarded ceremony
held in the town's Hiraq square, presided over by Regent Tarmizi
Akarim and attended by local dignitaries.

An old man who sat near the location of the ceremony remained
silent when asked by The Jakarta Post whether he came to
participate in the ceremony.

Syaifudin Ilyas, speaker of the local legislative council,
said the people were afraid to show up at the square for fear of
being targeted by members of the separatist Free Aceh Movement
(GAM).

"Just days before Independence Day, they (GAM members) have
terrorized the people with bomb attacks. They also set fire to
schools and lowered national flags," Syaifudin said.

Syaifudin was referring to arson attacks on 43 school
buildings in the regency, which were allegedly committed by GAM
members several days before Independence Day.

Sulaeman, a guard at Ujung Belaga Inpres elementary school in
Banda Sakti subdistrict, said that some unidentified people had
arrived at the school early on Tuesday morning and set fire to
it.

"They (GAM) had demanded that the local administration excuse
students from school and other activities on Fridays as it is a
holiday for Muslim people. But since Aug. 17 falls on Friday and
the regent demanded to hold a ceremony on that day, GAM got
angry," Sulaeman said.

Meanwhile, prior to the ceremony, six homemade bombs and
grenades exploded in several locations around the town, killing
one man, identified as Bustami, 20, and injuring two other
people, including a 12-year-old boy.

Aceh Security Operation spokesman Col. Firdaus said the blasts
were part of terrorist activities by GAM aimed at sabotaging
Independence Day celebrations in Aceh.

City and intercity public transportation was halted following
a strike by drivers on Thursday. A number of public minivan
drivers said that unidentified people threatened that if they did
not go on strike their vehicles would be burnt or bombed.

Meanwhile, in Jakarta, the government expressed its deep
concern over the escalating tension in Aceh during the
celebration of Independence Day, saying it would continue to use
dialogs to seek a comprehensive solution to problems in the
province.

Coordinating Minister of Political and Security Affairs Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono accused certain parties of being behind the
recent killing of plantation employees and the torching of school
buildings in their attempt to attract international attention and
to disrupt the ongoing reconciliatory process with Acehnese
representatives.

"There have been certain parties who are not happy with the
settlement between the government and Acehnese figures," he said
after hearing President Megawati Soekarnoputri's speech before
the House of Representatives' plenary session here on Thursday.

He declined to identify the parties but reasserted that the
government would continue to prioritize dialogs in seeking a
peaceful and comprehensive solution to the problems.

"We will never give up; the problem in Aceh must be solved as
well as possible," he said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said the
government was revising the comprehensive approach being employed
in Aceh as defined by Presidential Decree No. 4, issued in
January 2001.

"The government will place an emphasis on dialogs to seek a
comprehensive solution. Besides the persuasive approach, we will
also deploy troops to back up the police to restore security and
order in Aceh," he said.

Hassan said rebels and armed supporters of the separatist
movement should abandon their fight and return to their normal
lives to ease tension in the province.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Akbar Tandjung called on the
government to take military-style repressive measures against the
separatist movement in Aceh because the police would not be able
to defeat the rebellion.

"It is no longer appropriate to deploy police to handle a
rebellion launched by the separatist movement, because their main
task is to maintain security and enforce the law," he said.

According to him, the tension in Aceh was not triggered by a
social clash but by a rebellion that must be tackled with a
militaristic approach. (tso/rms)