Four people killed, helicopters fired on in Aceh encounters

Four people killed, helicopters fired on in Aceh encounters

Agencies, Banda Aceh, Aceh

At least three suspected rebels and one military personnel were
killed in armed encounters between government troops and the Free
Aceh Movement (GAM) on Tuesday and Wednesday, a striking reminder
that peace was slipping away quickly in Aceh.

Also on Wednesday, two military helicopters were fired on
while monitoring the situation above Lhokseumawe, North Aceh.

Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman Lt. Col. Firdaus Komarno
accused the separatist movement of being behind the shooting,
which, according to military spokesman Col. J. Nachrowi, damaged
the helicopters, but the pilots made emergency landings.

"We are concerned that the situation is getting worse,"
Nachrowi told AFP.

GAM quickly denied the allegation, saying that it was a
strategy of the TNI to discredit GAM and to justify plans for a
military operation in Aceh.

GAM deputy spokesman Isnandar Al Pase Isnandar said it was
difficult for GAM to shoot at the helicopters with the presence
of military posts in the location.

Even if GAM intended to shoot the helicopters, Isnandar added,
it would not use AK-47 automatic rifles, but modern antiaircraft
armor.

Also on Wednesday, rebels killed a soldier in a raid on a
military post in a remote area of West Aceh, said Aceh military
spokesman Maj. Eddy Fernandi.

Police killed three suspected rebels in a gunfight on Tuesday
at Paya Kolak in Central Aceh, said local police chief Adj. Sr.
Com. Bambang Prayitno. Police seized six kilograms of hashish
from the rebels, he said.

A GAM spokesman, Amri Abdul Wahab, denied that the victims
were rebels. Amri described military claims that the three were
gunrunners as "cheap propaganda".

Security has continued to worsen over the past few weeks with
the government persistently accusing GAM of reneging on a peace
agreement signed in December 2002. Peace pact monitors were
withdrawn from field offices last week.

The government has called for a meeting of the Joint Council,
a final arbiter on the peace agreement, and says it will launch
an all-out war unless the council can settle disputes over the
pact.

The council groups government and rebel leaders with mediators
from the Swiss-based Henry Dunant Centre (HDC). The center is
trying to get the two sides to agree to a date and place for the
meeting.

Apart from the alleged ceasefire violations, the government
demands that the rebels stop campaigning for independence --
which is not provided for in the pact.

Firdaus said on Wednesday that the TNI would wait for the
results of the meeting before launching any military operations.

"If the meeting fails to reach an agreement, a military
emergency status will be imposed throughout Aceh," he said.

Marines killed on Monday three suspected rebel gunrunners in a
gunfight at sea off East Aceh, the military said. The soldiers
said they found 12 assault rifles and thousands of rounds on the
guerrillas' boat.

At least 35 people have been killed in the past nine days in
the province.

A company of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) soldiers
arrived in Aceh on Tuesday to replace another company which had
been withdrawn.

Nearly 2,000 combat troops arrived in North Aceh on Wednesday
as security in the resource-rich province deteriorated.

The 26-year separatist insurgency has killed an estimated
10,000 people, mainly civilians.