Government gloomy about dialog with GAM
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense Mahfud MD said on Sunday he was pessimistic that the scheduled dialog between the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Switzerland on Monday would be successful.
"Actually, we (government) are pessimistic about the dialog with GAM because they have set a 'fixed price'... they only want freedom from Indonesia," Mahfud told a meeting with members of the Yogyakarta chapter of the Association of Acehnese People (HIMA).
"But we'll continue to talk until the problems are settled.
"I myself have been pressured by many parties to declare GAM's activities as bughat (subversive) against the government of Indonesia," he said.
The minister claimed that GAM was not as big as the print media had reported in their publications.
"GAM is only supported by a small number of Acehnese. As an example, the government recently received a delegation of Acehnese who proposed the establishment of Galaksi province, which includes the regencies of Gayo, Alas and Singkil," he said.
"But, we have yet to prioritize the proposal because we're still trying to settle Aceh problems as a whole."
Meanwhile, fighting between rebels and security forces have left at least 11 people dead, police and witnesses said on Sunday.
The latest bloodshed happened just days before negotiators for the two sides are due to meet for a final round of peace talks in Switzerland on Monday before the Humanitarian Pause expires on Jan. 15.
The deaths bring to 24 the number of people killed since the beginning of this year.
Chief Comr. Yatim Suyatmo of the Cinta Meunasah Operation deputy spokesman said a police officer was shot dead in a gun battle with a separatist gang in South Aceh.
"One rebel was shot dead during a joint police-military raid on a rebel hideout in southern Aceh, led by Capt. Sultan Depok Samandoko.
"The officer said six other rebels were captured and two escaped," Suyatmo said.
Also Saturday, villagers found the bodies of three civilians in two separate locations near the rebels hideout, said officials of the local hospital.
In Lhokseumawe two men were shot to death by an assailant on a motorcycle and four other men were killed in separate attacks in eastern parts of the province.
Tension rose in Aceh as activists and local leaders demanded on Sunday for the police to revoke the order for gunmen to surrender their weapons, saying that such a requirement "would trigger open conflicts between security forces and rebels, placing civilians in the middle".
"We fear that the police order will only worsen the situation because rebels will fight them hell to high water," Aguswandi, chief of Aceh's Commission on Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said on Sunday.
The order No. Po.01/XII/2000 issued by Aceh Police chief Brig. Gen. Chaerul R. Rasyidi stipulates that all illegal weaponry must be handed over to the police by Jan. 15.
"There is no reason for people to be afraid since the order is clearly meant for those possessing illegal weaponry. This is important to restore law and order in the area.
"Without firm action, unlawful people will be freely roaming the area with weapons and violence will continue," the general told media on Sunday.
Several GAM leaders in Aceh have pledged to fight the security forces if searches for weapons continue.
"The weapons are held by us, not the civilians. If they (the troops) want to take them, they have to fight us," Abu Arafah, GAM commander in Meureuhom Daya in West Aceh said.
"We have surrounded the military/police posts and if they initiate the move after Jan. 15, we will launch counter attacks," claimed Abu Sofyan Daud, GAM commander in Pase, North Aceh. (23/50/edt/imn)