GAM will comply with Aceh peace accord: Commander

GAM will comply with Aceh peace accord: Commander

Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh, Aceh

The highest-ranking commander of the military wing of the
separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has publicly announced his
support for the agreement with the government, although he also
emphasized that GAM would continue with its much-criticized
practices, including the collection of funds from the public.

Speaking to a small group of journalists at a GAM military
camp in remote Teupin Raya, Pidie regency, about 128 kilometers
southeast of Banda Aceh, GAM military chief Teungku Muzakir Manaf
said his troops would fully observe the cease-fire order from GAM
leader in exile Hasan Tiro upon implementation of the Dec. 9
peace accord.

Muzakir denied Indonesian Military (TNI) allegations that GAM
had continued to attack government targets, including military
posts, despite the truce.

"We will not violate the peace accord. However, if we are
attacked we have to defend ourselves," said Muzakir after
inaugurating Sarjani Abdullah as Pidie military commander on
Saturday afternoon.

The swearing-in ceremony was also attended by several GAM top
officials, including GAM self-claimed finance minister Muhammad
Usman and other senior military officers.

Journalists were invited to the place on Friday and asked to
stay there overnight before Muzakir's media briefing on Saturday.

Students of a state elementary school in the village were
unable to attend school that day because their building was used
as the venue.

In his meeting with journalists, the rebel chief repeatedly
blamed TNI for military clashes between the two opposing parties
because, he said, Indonesian troops aggressively attacked GAM-
controlled areas.

He also added that he had stopped the recruitment of new
soldiers after the peace accord.

"We are only acting in self-defense, and that is not
prohibited at all," the rebel commander said.

Commenting on concerns voiced by the Joint Security Committee
(JSC) that extortion had sharply increased in Aceh after a marked
decrease in violence in the province, Muzakir confirmed that his
troops had collected money from the public but emphasized that
GAM was only exercising its right to ask for state taxes from
large corporations and rich people.

"This is not extortion. GAM is only collecting Nanggroe
(state) tax from businessmen, who are asked to pay voluntarily,"
Muzakir said.

He did not comment on JSC cricticism against GAM for stated
gross peace violations as well as TNI for light violations. He
only hinted that his troops had not committed any wrongdoings.

Hassan, who now resides in Stockholm, appointed Muzakir, 40,
as GAM military chief in January last year, to replace Abdullah
Syafii, who was killed by TNI troops in Pidie on Jan. 22 last
year.

In contrast to the outspoken Syafii, Muzakir very rarely talks
to the media, usually asking his spokesman, Sofyan Dawood, to do
it instead.

Muzakir, however, is regarded as more capable in the field,
having undergone military training in Libya. The self-proclaimed
four-star general oversees 17 regional military commands across
Aceh.

Meanwhile, the spokesman of JSC, which comprises
representatives of the Indonesian government, GAM and third
parties from neighboring countries Thailand and the Philippines,
acknowledged there were still no concrete sanctions against
violations by both GAM and TNI.

"We will announce the form of concrete sanctions next week,"
spokesman Steve Daily said.

JSC senior envoy Maj. Gen. Tanongsuk Tuvinon disclosed the
committee was currently investigating 24 violations in Aceh,
after dealing with 27 cases last week.

In the meantime, one GAM soldier was shot dead by police on
Saturday in Ulee Kareng, about 4 kilometers from Banda Aceh.
Police hinted they had to shoot 26-year-old Saiful because he had
attempted to flee when asked to stop in order to check his
vehicle documents.

"We also discovered he had a revolver on him," Aceh Police
spokesman Taufik said.