'Hundreds of rebel leaders remain free'

'Hundreds of rebel leaders remain free'

Agencies, Banda Aceh, Aceh

The Aceh martial law administration is focusing on hunting down hundreds of rebel leaders as the military considers restructuring its field operations in the province.

Aceh martial law administrator May. Gen. Endang Suwarya said on Sunday that the planned restructuring of the military operation was aimed at allowing quicker movement of troops.

"There will be reorganization on the structure of operation in the field, but the technicality is still being prepared by Operation Commander May Gen. Bambang Dharmono," Endang was quoted by Antara as saying after officiating hundreds of humanitarian workers here.

The restructuring will allow the shifting of the focus of the military operation. "It could lead to the shifting of troops."

Endang also noted that the military and the police had identified hundreds of rebel leaders, and their identities had been sent to all police offices and military units in the province.

He did not specify what sort of leaders, but the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has a structure of community figures from governor down to village head.

"There are still many rebel figures who remain free. We don't care if they are public figures or not. If they are rebels, they must be disarmed so that Aceh becomes more secure," Endang said.

Meanwhile, Aceh Police chief Insp. Gen. Bachrumsyah Kasman explained that the list of wanted rebel leaders would eventually be made public so that all people could help security forces to identify them.

"We haven't yet placed their names in public places as we fear that the list would be removed by their supporters. But, there is still possibility to place their pictures in public places when the security situation in Aceh becomes conducive," Bachrumsyah said.

Meanwhile, the military said on Sunday that at least seven suspected rebels and one government soldier were killed in the latest fighting in Aceh.

Five suspected members of GAM were killed on Saturday during a 30-minute gunfight in Tangse, in Pidie district, Aceh Military spokesman Lt. Col. Ahmad Yani Basuki told Agence France-Presse.

Yani Basuki said five other rebels were believed to have fled the scene.

Another rebel was killed in Kampung Adam, also in Pidie district, the previous day, he said.

A soldier was shot dead during a gunfight in Kuta Baro, in the South Aceh subdistrict of Samadua on Friday, Basuki said.

Also in South Aceh, patrolling marines killed one rebel during a shootout in Pasi Kuala village late on Friday, he added.

The military said that by Saturday, a total of 606 rebels had been killed since the government launched a massive military operation in Aceh on May 19 to crush GAM, which has been fighting for independence since 1976.

More than 1,300 other rebels were captured or surrendered during the same period, the military said.

They also said that 43 soldiers and 10 police officers had been killed, while more than 100 others had been wounded.