Govt to set up team to probe Aceh massacre

JAKARTA (JP): The government will set up a team to investigate the recent killing of dozens of civilians in East Aceh following the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM)'s accusation that the Indonesian Military (TNI), along with the National Police, were behind the incident.

"We have discussed the matter this morning and received a report on the preliminary investigation conducted by the Aceh Police on what exactly happened in Idi Rayeuk district on Aug. 9," Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Saturday.

Based on the report, the killings were committed by GAM itself, he said.

"We, however, still need further investigation to clarify the incident as GAM has denied it is responsible for the killing. GAM had actually accused the TNI and the National Police of being behind the killings," Susilo said.

A secret report received by Susilo said that as many as 20 people, not 30 as reported earlier, were shot dead on Thursday by unknown gunmen at an oil palm plantation owned by PT Bumi Flora in Idi Rayeuk district, some 80 kilometers south of Langsa, the capital of East Aceh regency.

The report said the victims were employees of PT Bumi Flora who reportedly had often been disturbed by the separatist rebels. The employees had frequently been forced by GAM members to pay protection money to the movement, Susilo said quoting the report.

According to the report, the massacre occurred after the guerrillas had tried to force the workers to stage a strike against the company. When the workers refused, the angry insurgents then told them to stand in line and shot them one by one.

The report also said that the gunmen -- believed to be well- trained military personnel -- were wearing striped camouflage uniforms resembling those belonging to Malaysian military.

GAM had earlier denied responsibility for the killing and called for the establishment of an independent team to probe the case before taking it to an international tribunal should the investigation find evidence of the involvement of the TNI and police in the bloodshed.

Susilo, however, questioned GAM's accusations which he said were "too quick".

"We have yet to start a complete investigation into the case, but they have already launched a war of opinions. In fact, we are not only dealing with the case so as to attract international attention, but we must also provide strong evidence on who exactly perpetrated the killing," he argued.

"Rather than continuing this argument, let me act professionally in probing this case," Susilo said. (tso)