GAM troops told to comply with newly signed pact

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Commander of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist group Tengku Abdullah Syafiie has ordered his troops to comply with the newly signed pact with the Indonesian government and "to seriously make an effort to end violence in the strife-torn province.

"Both GAM and the Indonesian security forces must jointly restrain themselves and respect Saturday's pact," Abdullah said in a statement on Sunday.

"Not only GAM but also all the Indonesian Military (TNI)/police leaders must be able to control their troops and discontinue military operations in villages," said Abdullah, a rebel leader who has not made any statements for quite some time.

Abdullah, who resides at the rebel camp in Jiem-Jiem jungle in restive Pidie regency, also expressed confidence that his troops would not violate the pact.

Both Indonesian and GAM envoys announced on Saturday a new four-point code of conduct to reduce violence in Aceh that would be effective for 10 days from Feb. 11.

Abdullah's statement was issued amid continuing violence on Sunday in which five people were killed despite the new pact.

Police's Cinta Meunasah Operation spokesman Sr. Comr. Kusbini Imbar said three rebels were shot dead in a military operation on Sunday in Simpang Peut village of Bayeun district in East Aceh.

"The three were GAM members later identified as Abdul Muthalib bin Amin, known as the rebel leader of the village, along with Alidin bin Dahlan and Amri bin Musa," Kusbini said.

The officer said that patrolling military troops passing the village were ambushed by rebels at about 8 a.m.

But a rebel spokesman in East Aceh, Ishak Daud, said that only one of the victims was a guerrilla while the other two were villagers.

In another incident, rebels attacked a police station in Idi Rayeuk, East Aceh, on Sunday.

"The blitz took place for about two hours and eight grenades were thrown by rebels with launchers. Five grenades exploded but no casualties were recorded," First Insp. Imam Suhadi, the police's Mobile Brigade commander in Idi Rayeuk, said.

Separately in Banda Aceh, police officer First Brig. Dalmi sustained gunshot wounds after gunmen sprayed bullets at him in Kampung Baru market on Sunday afternoon.

Also on Sunday, two civilians identified as Samsul Bahri, 18, and Sulaiman Ali, 21, were found dead with severe stab wounds in Cot Tufah village in Bireun regency, said A.R. Djuli, a local human rights activist.

The raging violence took place just before two GAM representatives left on Monday for a two-day meeting with their Indonesian counterparts in Switzerland.

Talks are expected to start on Wednesday to discuss a possible extension of their one month "moratorium on violence".

The one-month moratorium, due to expire on Thursday, was reached after the two sides entered a six-month-long shaky truce in June last year, in an effort to reduce violence in Aceh.

On the same day that the pact was signed, Saturday, alleged rebels launched a predawn attack at about 5 a.m. on a police post in Tanjung Pineung village in Seuneudon district of North Aceh with grenade launchers, automatic weapons and hand grenades.

Three policemen and four civilians were injured in the initial assault on the post, which was heavily damaged, Abdullah said.

"We hope that no such incident will reoccur. The attack took place due to arrogant actions by security forces," he said.

More than 120 people have died in Aceh during continuous violence in the province this year.

Under the new pact, both sides have agreed to halt violent actions which cause loss of life or damages people's livelihoods. (50/edt)