Over 6,000 Acehnese remain at camps

BANDA ACEH, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam: As of today, 6,029 people, or 1,271 families, still live in refugee camps, following the operation launched by the Indonesian Military (TNI) on May 19 to crush the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Burhanuddin, spokesman for the Aceh social affairs office, said over the weekend that the biggest group of refugees -- 3,552 people, or 754 families -- were living in a camp in Tapak Tuan, South Aceh.

In East Aceh, refugees number 1,849 people, or 1,849 families, while in Southwest Aceh, 294 people are still languishing in temporary camps.

The remaining refugees are living in camps in the regencies of Aceh Tamiang and Central Aceh, Burhanuddin said.

"The refugees have been living in the camps for more than five months, because they are fearful of their safety if they return to their villages," he said.

"The rebels have burned down their houses," he added.

At its peak, the number of Acehnese refugees reached 81,671, the majority of whom reportedly lived near the strongholds of GAM. At least 40 percent were children.

Despite claims that the government had distributed sufficient food, clean water and tents for the refugees, many are suffering from various ailments and malnutrition. -- Antara