Red Cross appeals for safe access to Acehnese

Red Cross appeals for safe access to Acehnese

Tiarma Siboro and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) urged on Wednesday the two warring
parties in Aceh to allow humanitarian workers to move around
freely when carrying out their duties there.

It also called on both the Indonesian Military (TNI) and Free
Aceh Movement (GAM) not to interfere in the work of humanitarian
volunteers to prevent them from harm.

"There are a lot of things in Aceh that PMI should do, but if
both TNI and GAM fail to ensure freedom of movement for us, I
don't think we can continue with our humanitarian mission," PMI
secretary-general Iyang D. Sukandar said.

"We (PMI) do not wish to carry out such a mission until we are
assured that the team of volunteers will be safe," he said.

Iyang was apparently referring to a recent clash between TNI
personnel and GAM members in Bagok district, East Aceh, on
Monday.

During the clash, the TNI claimed to have rescued PMI
volunteers, who were allegedly under GAM protection. The medical
volunteers had entered a GAM stronghold to treat villagers
suffering from illnesses.

Bagok district, located about 50 kilometers from Peurelak
regency, is believed to be a GAM stronghold. The PMI team visited
the area at the invitation of GAM leaders to treat sick villagers
and was promised it could meet civilian hostages, including Fery
Santoro, a TV journalist from RCTI TV station.

GAM spokesman Teungku Mansor was reportedly killed in the
clash, while a volunteer, Budiman Ramli, went missing.

"I have contacted (GAM commander overseeing East Aceh) Ishak
Daud, asking him to release our volunteer if he was being held by
GAM.

"He (Ishak) promised to do so even though he has yet to
ascertain if Budiman was with GAM personnel," Iyang told The
Jakarta Post.

Ishak promised to protect Budiman if he were with GAM, but "as
of today I don't know exactly whether he is still in that
location," Iyang said.

In Jakarta, head of the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) for Asia Pacific Reto Meister said that his office
would help secure the release of civilian captives on condition
that both warring parties agreed to a cease-fire.

ICRC backed out of efforts to release hostages currently held
by GAM last month after TNI and GAM failed to agree on security
arrangements for its volunteers.

Meanwhile, TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said on
Wednesday that the military was ready to launch another operation
to rescue hostages currently held by GAM as soon as possible.

"We have identified their locations and are ready to launch
the operation soon," the four-star general said on Wednesday.

He added that detailed information on the movement of GAM
personnel and their hostages had been obtained by the military in
Aceh.

"We need the data to ensure that there will be minimal
casualties when we carry out military action to release the
civilian hostages," Endriartono said.

He said the military was still giving GAM a chance to enter
into negotiations to release the hostages but stressed that
preparations were still in hand for a possible rescue operation.