GAM rebels asked to end 'threats' against ExxonMobil
JAKARTA (JP): United States Ambassador to Indonesia Robert S. Gelbard called on Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels to stop acts of terrorism and threats against employees of ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia (EMOI), located in Lhoksukon, North Aceh regency, reports said on Friday.
"I have met with GAM representatives and asked them to stop those kinds of threats," Gelbard was quoted by Antara as saying on Friday during his visit to Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh.
The United States government deeply regrets the temporary closure of ExxonMobil's operations, he said.
"ExxonMobil was forced to halt their activities as the company and its employees have received various threats and attacks, such as bombings and shootings. Their priority is the safety of their employees," Gelbard said.
Earlier, reports said that GAM had demanded ExxonMobil pay a security fee of Rp 5 billion per annum to GAM, rather than paying the Indonesian Military forces.
But GAM spokesman Abu Sofyan Daud denied allegations that rebels were intimidating ExxonMobil and instead accused Indonesian security personnel guarding the company's facilities of responsibility for the attacks.
There has been protracted violence in the restive area, with ExxonMobil forced to suspend its massive natural gas operations for security reasons on March 9, seriously affecting Indonesian gas exports.
Police deployment
Meanwhile police said a fresh deployment of 1,000 personnel from the Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) arrived in Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province.
They arrived at Krueng Raya Port, transported by two Navy battleships, KRI Teluk Ambon and KRI Teluk Manado on Thursday, deputy spokesman of the Police's Cinta Meunasah II operation, Comr. Sudarsono, told The Jakarta Post by phone on Friday.
"The fresh troops will replace personnel that have served in Aceh for more than six months. Those battalions will leave Aceh today (Friday) by the same ships," he said.
According to records, there are about 30,000 military and police personnel stationed in Aceh.
In another outbreak of violence, at least one person was killed and seven others injured, including two soldiers, after a grenade blast on Jl. Tengku Cik Ditunong in Pantonlabu, North Aceh, on Thursday.
"Two men on a motorbike threw grenades among a group of patrolling officers. They missed the target and they ended up exploding among a group of locals," the officer said.
Police also reported separate ambush, arson and bombing incidents in West Aceh, Central Aceh and North Aceh respectively between Thursday and Friday. (edt)