Military warns of GAM members' presence in Jakarta
Military warns of GAM members' presence in Jakarta
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Military (TNI) warned the nation over the presence of separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members and supporters in Jakarta and other cities, calling their presence a serious threat if not properly addressed immediately.
"The military has detected the presence of GAM rebels in Jakarta and several cities outside Aceh over the last three months," TNI Chief of General Affairs Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago told The Jakarta Post at TNI headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Tuesday.
He, however, suggested that it was the responsibility of the National Police Headquarters to handle the matter.
"The authority to handle security is in the hands of the National Police.
"But, the military has strengthened coordination with the police to monitor their (GAM) separatist activities, especially in Jakarta," he said.
He added that the military would support the government's humane and persuasive approach in handling the Aceh problem.
A senior military official, who asked for anonymity, revealed that hundreds of well-trained and armed rebels have been launching underground activities in Jakarta to support the separatist movement in Aceh.
"They are backed up politically by Acehnese people within the political elite," the official said.
"The results of our monitoring show that the rebels are well trained and armed. They have modern arms and grenades," he added, citing that their main target was government and military infrastructure.
The official, however, declined to comment whether the separatist rebels were behind the recent bombing at the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) building.
"Please, ask the police who are investigating the case," he said.
Two servicemen, both Acehnese, along with 25 other suspects, have been arrested over their alleged involvement in the bombing incident, which left at least 11 fatalities and injured dozens others. The two were identified as Second Sgt. Ibrahim and Chief Corp. Irwan, of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) and the Army Special Force (Kopassus), respectively.
The military official said the government would impose a curfew in Aceh because of the escalating tension in the restive province despite the extended humanitarian pause.
"The government should not be trapped by GAM's political maneuvers because the separatist movement has also conducted underground activities in their fight and there will be more police officers killed if the curfew is not imposed," he said.
He said the police and its Mobile Brigade (Brimob) would not be able to restore security and order in the province because they were inexperienced in dealing with the underground movement.
Chief of Staff of the Jakarta Garrison Brig. Gen. Hasanuddin, who is in charge of security in the capital, concurred and said that Acehnese figures should be held responsible for giving support to the movement.
"Please, ask Hasballah about it," he said, referring to Hasballah M. Saad, former state minister of human rights affairs.
Maj. Gen. Slamet Kirbiantoro, chief of the Jakarta Military Command, said that besides coordinating with the city police, the Jakarta Military was now launching a secret operation to put pressure on GAM separatist activities in the capital.
"We are trying to cut down their activities here gradually," he said, but did not elaborate.
Gunfights
Meanwhile in Banda Aceh, a series of gunfights erupted between police and rebels from the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on Tuesday.
North Aceh Precinct Police chief Supt. Abadan Abangko said two people died -- Sgt. Heriadi, a member of the police bomb disposal squad and an unidentified man allegedly from GAM. The clash broke out in Blang Kulam village, Kuta Makmur district, some 30 kilometers northwest of Lhokseumawe.
According to Abadan the clash erupted when a squad of 18 policemen were ambushed by rebels.
However, GAM Commander Abu Sofyan Daud gave a different version of the story. He said that 11 truckloads of police had launched a sweeping operation in the morning in the vicinity of Blang Kulam village.
He claimed that upon learning of the operation, he immediately contacted the Joint Committee on Security in Banda Aceh to urge it to stop the police operation, fearing that a big clash would erupt because the rebel headquarters is located in Blang Kulam village.
"The warning was ignored and thirty GAM members attacked the police patrol. The gunfight claimed the life of one police officer and injured several others," Abu Sofyan said.
Clashes continue in Aceh despite the extension of an accord between rebels and the government.
Tuesday's clash came amid reports that Aceh Police chief Brig. Gen. Doddy Sumantyawan would be replaced by Brig. Gen. Chairul R. Rasyidi who is Deputy Governor for the Police Academy.
Doddy will switch posts with Chairul and take over the academy in Semarang, Central Java.
Doddy reiterated on Tuesday that police sweeping operations to apprehend armed civilians would continue.
"Unarmed GAM members will be excluded in our operation but the police will target all armed people, including GAM," he said.
GAM has pledged to retaliate by attacking police patrols.
Abu Sofyan said Indonesian government negotiators in the accord should urge security personnel not to violate the Humanitarian Pause by conducting such sweeping operations against GAM.
Separately the deputy chief of the Cinta Meunasah special police operation, Supt. Yatim Suyatmo, told journalists on Tuesday that armed rebels had burned at least 10 houses in Paya Tampah village, Bandar Baru district, East Aceh, on Sunday.
The attack was an apparent attempt to terrorize residents as, according to Yatim, rebels forced residents out of their homes without giving them the opportunity to take their belongings.
"Once the houses were empty, the rebels poured gasoline inside and set them ablaze. The rebels stood there until the fire razed the houses and a local elementary school," Yatim said as quoted by Antara.
The arson attack forced some 1,270 frightened residents to flee the village, he claimed.
Since the attack, Mobile Brigade officers have been deployed to the village to help ensure security.
Separately, North Aceh Police Precinct chief Supt. Abadan Bangko also blamed armed rebels for a daylight robbery which netted some Rp 20 million (US$2,300) from the state-owned Bank Rakyat Indonesia branch office in Peudada district, Bireuen regency, some 200 kilometers east of Banda Aceh, on Monday.
Abadan said this was the third robbery of a BRI branch office over the past few months. (50/lup/rms)