GAM, govt in row over police, military pullout

GAM, govt in row over police, military pullout

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Representatives of the government and
the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) could not agree on the question of
police withdrawal during negotiations for the humanitarian pause
and forwarded the issue to a higher forum in Geneva.

"We hope the Joint Forum will resolve the deadlock," Col.
Ridwan Karim, a government representative in the security
committee, said in a media briefing here on Sunday. Also present
was GAM's Tengku Nasiruddin bin Ahmad.

The two sides had reached a deadlock on six points for the
security modalities which are part of the necessary arrangement
for the humanitarian pause as signed in an accord last month.

The deadlock specifically centers on the presence of military
and police.

GAM wants Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) units in various
projects in Aceh redeployed and replaced with special security
guards.

It also proposes a complete withdrawal of the military from
the field back to the barracks, a cessation of operations and for
security forces to be disarmed.

Meanwhile, Indonesian representatives have insisted that the
ongoing police operation Cinta Meunasah, a continuation of
Operation Sadar Rencong, must be maintained to restore law and
order.

In a related development, a prisoner in North Aceh named
Abdurrahman Rasyid, 32, died in his police cell at Jeumpa
Subprecinct in Bireuen.

"Rasyid committed suicide in his cell. Officers found him
hanging with a rope around his neck," local police chief Lt. Col.
Syafei Aksal said.

Rasyid was allegedly involved in the Rp 3 billion robbery of
Bank Rakyat Indonesia near Takengon last month when a group of
gunmen raided the bank's van which was transporting cash.

He was arrested on June 7 at his house in Bireun.

The GAM Commander in Bireuen, Darwis Djeunieb, however,
claimed that Risyad was murdered by police as he was a witness to
the robbery which he claimed was actually carried out by security
force members. (50/edt)