Military offensive kills five separatists in Aceh

Military offensive kills five separatists in Aceh

Ibnu Mat Noor, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

The Indonesian military (TNI) launched a two-day offensive
against the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), earlier this week,
resulting in the deaths of four suspected rebels, while prompting
hundreds of local residents to flee for their lives.

The attack, which included police personnel, took place in
Peuntenteut Village, near Lhokseumawe, on Tuesday and Wednesday
after two soldiers were killed, TNI officials said.

The two soldiers who were identified as 2nd Lt. Fakhrurrazi
and Private Deny were killed in retaliation of the military's
brutality against civilians in several villages in the regency.

Maj. Zaenal Mutaqin, a spokesman for the recently revived
Iskandar Muda Military Command, said that the four men -- thought
members of the secessionist group -- were killed in a shootout as
dozens of Army Strategic Reserve Command soldiers stormed their
stronghold in Tanjong Neunyot, North Aceh.

The four were identified as Iskandar Hamzah, 22; Sofyan Nur,
28; Wahidin A. Rachman, 21, and Wahab, 23; their bodies were
handed over to locals for burial, according to military
officials.

The separatists accused the soldiers of taking killing
innocent civilians as a means of avenging their fallen comrades.

GAM Deputy Commander Cut Manyak said that he could neither
confirm nor deny rebel claims that the dead were innocent
civilians.

He did, however, acknowledge that security personnel have in
the past frequently fired on civilians, and burned down their
houses under suspicion of being GAM members.

GAM spokesman Tengku Jamaika said that GAM had shot 27
security officers in a series of ambushes and firefights this
week.

Frustrated by the attacks, Jamaika said that the TNI has
resorted to random violence, placing civilians and their property
in their sights.

Indonesia "will never succeed as a nation unless (the TNI)
complies with all its previous agreements," he said. "Aceh will
turn toward peace once the Indonesian military pulls out."

He added that the local military has barred locals from
gardening until the offensive is completed. Hundreds of residents
have already taken refuge since the operation began.

Many refugees desperately searched for their families or
stayed in public buildings; others sought protection from local
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the provincial capital
of Banda Aceh.

Some 47 families from Pameue in Central Aceh regency have
taken refuge in Lamjeue Geumpang in Pidie for several days.

Around 500 other villagers from the regency have been stranded
in Krueng Tuan, Nisam Subdistrict, after hiding in forest areas.

Teuku Rizal Ramli, coordinator of the Jeumpa Mirah NGO in
Banda Aceh, said that his office has accommodated 132 refugees
from Central, North and East Aceh.

"Some of the refugees have occupied a vacant construction at
the Ar-Raniry Islamic Teaching Institute," he said.

In other developments, Muryati, chairwoman of the Humanity
Team for Acehnese Women, called on the government to resume talks
with GAM to ensure a cease-fire with GAM to minimize civilian
casualties.

"Acehnese women and children have suffered the most during
this conflict because women, having lost their husbands, have
been frequently forced to leave their villages with their
children," she said.

More and more Acehnese people, she added, especially women and
children, will perish if the Aceh conflict is not solved
peacefully -- and quickly.