GAM urged to end violence in restive Aceh

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): A diplomat urged the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on Monday to end their campaign of violence and focus on joint peaceful efforts with the government to resolve the Aceh problem.

The call was voiced by Indonesia's permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Nugroho Wisnumurti, after attending a meeting with Aceh provincial leaders and local religious leaders here.

"The militaristic approach by GAM has oppressed the Acehnese in general and will not solve the problem at all," he said, as quoted by Antara.

On the other hand, Nugroho called on the government to take stern action against those responsible for instigating the prolonged unrest in Indonesia's westernmost province.

"Yet, such action should be taken in a way that ensures peace and security," he said.

Nugroho, former director general for political affairs at the foreign ministry, said he attended the meeting to gather information on the condition in the restive province, which will be brought to the next Joint Forum between the Indonesian government and GAM representatives in Geneva.

The Indonesian government and GAM representatives signed a truce in May, called the Humanitarian Pause, which expired on Sept. 2.

Nugroho said the Indonesian government had agreed to extend the truce on the condition that GAM would end its campaign of violence.

GAM has been fighting for independence since 1976. The Indonesian government will not tolerate independence in Aceh but is willing to grant it broad autonomy.

The security condition in troubled Aceh remains tense as sporadic clashes between security officers and armed rebels continue throughout the province.

In a related development, thousands of residents of five villages in Kemireu area, Aceh Besar regency, fled their homes to seek refuge in the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh, some 30 kilometers east of the regency.

Abdul Wahab, a refugee, said on Monday that some 400 people had arrived safely at the mosque, while the remaining were blocked by security personnel at the main entry to Banda Aceh.

"We left our villages to avoid the military operation, which has been conducted since Sunday evening," he said.

Aceh Besar Police chief Supt. Sayed Hoesainy and Aceh Besar Regent Sayuti Ismail were in the area and seen persuading the refugees to return to their homes, saying that the security officers would not harm them.

Wahab said the residents would return home once the military left their villages.

Separately, police chief for the Cinta Meunasah (Love the Mosque) operation Sr. Supt. Kusbini Imbar revealed that officers at the Mutiara Military Command in Pidie regency apprehended two GAM members after the two threw a grenade into the compound. The grenade exploded, but no fatalities were reported in the incident.

The police identified the two as 30-year-old Bachtiar and 24- year-old T. Ansar, both residents of Mutiara district in Pidie.

"We suspect that they are also responsible for throwing grenades at several security posts in Pidie in the past," Kusbini said, adding that the police would further investigate how the members obtained the explosives.

Separately, Pidie Police chief Supt. Endang Emiqail Bagus said a bomb exploded on Monday at a security community post in Dayah Panoh village, Glumpang Tiga district, Pidie regency, when the military were launching an operation.

Three military officers, who were standing near the post, died on the spot. The police combed the area and questioned three residents, which lead them to the perpetrators.

Earlier, on Sunday morning, eight officers were reportedly injured when GAM members intercepted and attacked a security truck carrying police and military personnel in Alue Drien village in Lhoksukon district, North Aceh regency. (50/51/lup)