Syafi'ie's murder strengthens GAM spirit 'to fight for free Aceh'
Syafi'ie's murder strengthens GAM spirit 'to fight for free Aceh'
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The death of Free Aceh Movement (GAM) Commander Tengku Abdullah
Syafi'ie, has solidified the separatist movement and increased
the guerrillas' will to fight for the independence of Aceh, says
GAM spokesman Ayah Sofyan.
"One goes, ten come. The more the military kills rebels, the
more Acehnese people will join GAM. Syafi'ie's murder has
produced deep sympathy from a majority of Acehnese people and all
this has spurred the rebels' fighting spirit," he told The
Jakarta Post by telephone here on Thursday.
Ayah said, at a meeting in Pidie regency, that GAM had agreed
on Wednesday to appoint GAM Deputy Commander Muzakkir Manaf as
new commander to replace Syafi'ie and to begin a seven-day
mourning period.
"Acehnese people and leaders, both at home and overseas, have
given their full support for Manaf's appointment, as Manaf's
leadership has been examined for a long time. All the field
commanders are loyal to him," Ayah said.
Manaf, he said, was close to GAM's cabinet-in-exile under
Tiro's leadership and had the loyalty of all GAM officials and
field commanders.
"Organizationally, he (Manaf) is our new leader -- or
commander in Aceh -- and we also have our senior officials who
are in exile and our ambassadors who are assigned in countries
that recognize GAM, such as Myanmar, Malaysia and several African
nations. Despite Syafi'ie's death, GAM remains solid and prepared
to fight against the military and police," he said.
He added that the decision was taken after consultation with
GAM officials overseas, particularly GAM founder Hasan Tiro who
is currently in Sweden.
Syafi'ie's wife Aisyah Hasan and the five bodyguards who were
also killed on Tuesday in a firefight with Army soldiers, were
buried during a modest funeral ceremony near Syafi'ie's house in
Blangsukon Cubo, Bandar Baru Subdistrict in Pidie regency on
Thursday.
No GAM officials or field commanders attended the funeral due
to security concerns.
However, hundreds of Acehnese people paid their last respects
to the commander, his wife and three guards at the funeral.
The two other bodyguards were buried in their home villages in
Sigli.
Asked about the Feb. 11 deadline set by Jakarta for a solution
to the Aceh issue, Ayah said GAM was ready to dialog, but not
with Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh.
"GAM is confused about Jakarta's inconsistent stance on the
issue... Jakarta has unilaterally halted the dialog both at home
and overseas while it has deployed thousands of soldiers and
Mobile Brigade personnel to kill Acehnese people.
"Jakarta should make clear -- peace or war. If it chooses
peace, let's go to the negotiating table to make a truce and to
seek a peaceful solution to the problem, or if it adversely takes
the second choice, GAM is ready for a confrontation," he said.
GAM would continue its fight despite the government's decision
to revive the Iskandar Muda military command after its Feb. 11
deadline, he said.
"GAM will never die as long as Aceh still exists. The struggle
has won the full support from the Acehnese people, the leaders,
the local bureaucracy and the international community. The
(central) government should bear in mind that more and more
Acehnese civilians will be killed if the military command is
revived. And this is evidenced by the killing of more than 6,000
civilians during the military operation over the last nine
months," he said.
He declined to mention the total number of GAM members but
said it was supported by a majority of Acehnese people who have
been unfairly treated by the Indonesian government. "We will
surely win the war against (Jakarta's) imperialism," he said.
Sofyan added that GAM would like to go to the negotiating
table with mediation from a third party or country, because it
had lost confidence in the government and security authorities.
He said the government had admitted to brutal mistreatment of
Acehnese people and given many pledges of compensation --
including the massacres during the military operation between
1989 and 1998 -- but none of the pledges were fulfilled.
"GAM won't fall into the government's traps, such as empty
pledges or the deadline, and it will instead continue to be well
prepared for a worsening situation," he said.
He warned that the special autonomy for Aceh, put into effect
by the government on Jan. 1, in addition to the military
operation that had claimed thousands of lives, including
Syafi'ie's, was not a solution to the Aceh issue.
Separately, Lt. Col. Supartodi, chief of the Pidie Military
District, said the local military had data on Muzakkir Manaf and
other GAM field commanders including their hiding places in the
regency.
He said security personnel would continue their operation to
raid GAM's strongholds in the regency. Comments -- Page 2