Govt, GAM undecided on troop withdrawal

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Representatives of the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in the highest forum in Geneva have failed to come to an agreement on the question of a troop withdrawal, an official said here on Tuesday.

The two parties eventually gave up discussing the matter with the Aceh-based joint security committee set up following the enactment of a humanitarian pause early this month.

"There was a stalemate in the talks to decide on the six points of ground rules concerning security issues in Aceh. Now that they have entrusted us to carry out the negotiations, we will try our best," Col. Sulaiman A.B., the government representative in the security committee, said here.

The committee sent six points to Geneva for debate on June 23, after it reached no agreement here.

Among the disputed matters is the presence of military and police personnel, which is a condition agreed upon in terms for the humanitarian pause approved on May 12.

GAM has said it wants the police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) in various areas in Aceh withdrawn and replaced with approved security guards. It has also proposed a complete withdrawal of the military from the field to the barracks, a cessation of operations and disarmament.

Meanwhile, Indonesian representatives insisted that the ongoing Cinta Meunasah police operation, a continuation of Operation Sadar Rencong, must be maintained to restore law and order.

In a related development, a police officer was stabbed in the neck by an armed gang in Lhokseumawe, the capital of giant industrial regency North Aceh at about 4 a.m. on Tuesday.

The officer reportedly works as a security guard at state Bank Mandiri. Details of the incident are not available.

Violence in Aceh has killed more than 400 people this year. At least 40 of them died after the signing of the peace accord in Geneva on May 12. (50/edt)