Faxes, daily instructions among evidence against GAM

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Government representatives are leaving for Sweden this weekend with proof they believe shows Aceh Free Movement (GAM) leaders living in Sweden are involved in rebellion and terror attacks in Indonesia.

This mission will be the fourth in three years attempting to convince Sweden to take action against the GAM leaders.

Speaking to reporters after meeting President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Friday, government representative Brig. Gen. Haryanto Sutadi said the evidence should be enough to initiate legal proceeding against GAM leaders.

"There are faxes, daily instructions, declarations and a number of documents that should comply with Swedish standards of legal evidence," said Haryanto, the criminal director at National Police Headquarters.

He said the documents showed there was a clear line of command from the GAM leaders in Sweden to GAM field commanders in Aceh.

Several GAM leaders, namely Hasan Tiro, Zaini Abdullah and Malik Mahmood, have been living in exile in Stockholm for years. Some have become Swedish nationals.

"We are not asking for their extradition. We are only trying to convince Stockholm that GAM is a rebel group and has conducted a series of terror activities here. We will ask them to do something according to their domestic law," Haryanto said.

In line with the imposition of martial law in the province, Jakarta has increased pressure on Stockholm to take legal action against the GAM leaders.

Stockholm has said they can not take action against citizens who have not committed crimes.

Another team member, international law expert Hikmahanto Juwana, said the team would only be asking that Sweden restrict the activities of the GAM leaders in issuing instructions to leaders in Aceh.

Other members of the team, led by former foreign minister Ali Alatas, include Foreign Affairs director general for America and Europe Arizal Effendi, ministry director for America, Europe cooperation Retno Lestari, ministry director for Human Rights and Social Affairs I Gusti Agung Wasekapujo and State Intelligence Agency (BIN) representative B.E.J. Sofyan.

The team is scheduled to meet Swedish officials, including Prime Minister Goran Persson and return to Jakarta on Thursday.

Ali Alatas said the team was not aiming to create friction, but would merely ask for help.

"We are not trying to create a dispute with Sweden, we just hope that they can cooperate with us."