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.