Tension rises in East Aceh after GAM frees students

Tension rises in East Aceh after GAM frees students

Nani Farida and Ibnu Mat Noor, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

Tension in war-ridden Aceh, especially East Aceh regency, was
rising following the release by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) of
female students allegedly abducted early this month.

Local people in Peureulak, East Aceh, remained concerned about
possible fiercer clashes in the near future after security
authorities stepped up security in the regency, while GAM
expressed its readiness to face any military crackdown on its
stronghold.

Both GAM and the local military have traded warnings that
either side would resort to tough measures against any abuse of
students or underage people suspected of espionage.

Tengku Ishak Daud warned the local military and police against
using students and underage people to seek intelligence on GAM
hideouts and activities in the regency, saying that GAM was ready
to face whatever operation the local security authorities might
launch and would continue fighting for the province's
independence.

"The Indonesian government, especially the military and the
police, should not involve students and other innocent people in
the conflict because they know nothing about what is really going
on in the province," he said during the release of nine students
somewhere in Peureulak on Tuesday.

He explained that students were taken from their houses, with
their parents' permission, to be given an explanation about GAM's
struggle.

"They need the explanation after being used by the local
military and police for espionage," he said.

Separately, Capt. Agus Setiawan, spokesman for the security
restoration operation in Aceh, dismissed GAM's warning, saying
GAM had abused children and students to draw international
attention to its weakening struggle.

"With the abduction, GAM has contributed to the creation of a
lost generation among Acehnese people by depriving students of
their right to education. The secessionist movement's unworthy
move will certainly not gain support from the international
world," he said.

Agus accused GAM of burning down a number of school buildings
in the regency in an attempt, as it saw it, to prevent Acehnese
people from being indoctrinated by the Indonesian government and
to persuade them to join the movement.

"We have deployed hundreds of soldiers and police to enhance
security in the regency and to intensify the operation to crack
down on GAM strongholds in the regency," he said.

Agus denied GAM's accusation that students were being used for
espionage, saying both the military and the police had their own
intelligence units to monitor GAM's activities in the province.

Muhammad Yakub, principal of state senior high school I in
Peureulak, said that tension in the Peureulak subdistrict had
been rising following the students's abduction, as the military
had intensified its operation to hunt down rebels.

"Most people won't go out of their house, especially at night,
for fear of violence and abduction," he said.

On Tuesday, GAM released nine senior high school and
university students somewhere in a remote area in the regency at
the request of their parents, their school principal and human
rights activists.

Fitri, coordinator of PBHAM, the human rights organization
that mediated the release, said it took place peacefully
somewhere in East Aceh.

Ramla, mother of Yusnidar, one of the abductees, expressed her
joy at being reunited with her daughter, saying she would educate
her in accordance with syariah (Islamic law).

She said her daughter had forcibly been taken by two rebels on
May 9, 2000, the time at which the government and GAM were
holding peace talks in Geneva.

Despite the peace talks, the violence has continued. Over the
last two weeks, at least 26 people have been killed in gunfights
between the two sides.

Ulidiana, another abductee, said they were treated humanely
and given a lecture on GAM's struggle for Aceh's independence
during their 20-day abduction in a forest area in the regency.

Seven other abductees released were Khatijah, Halimah,
Yusdiana, Rosnidar, Marliah, Nursida and Halimatusakdiah.