TNI claims to have killed GAM military officer
TNI claims to have killed GAM military officer
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Indonesian Military (TNI) claimed on Sunday that it had
killed another leader of Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Aceh
province.
Military operations spokesman Lt. Col. Ahmad Yani Basuki said
government troops killed Nurdin, whose nom du guerre was Saddam
Hussein, during a firefight at Langkahan in North Aceh district
on Saturday.
Nurdin, 45, was said to be the chief of the local military
police for GAM. Troops had seized a Colt handgun from him.
Basuki also said four rebels were arrested on Sunday but did
not say where.
There was no confirmation or statement from GAM rebels, who
have been fighting for independence for the resource-rich
province since 1976. Over 10,000 lives have been lost since then.
The government put Aceh under martial law on May 19 and sent
40,000 troops and police after an estimated 5,000 rebels
following the collapse of peace talks with GAM.
The military claims that more than 900 GAM rebels have been
killed since then, along with 66 members of security forces. It
also says that 1,800 have been arrested or surrendered.
Meanwhile, GAM warned Sunday of possible conflicts between
Acehnese and non-Acehnese people in the province following an
alleged move by TNI to establish militia groups to assist
operations in the troubled province.
Teungku Mansor, GAM spokesman in Peureulek, East Aceh, said
that possible conflict between Acehnese and non-Acehnese could
materialize if TNI continued to allegedly establish militia
groups in Aceh.
"We never hold non-Acehnese people in contempt, but what TNI
has done so far could spark anger among Acehnese civilians as
these militia groups, equipped with various sharp weapons, have
tortured villagers from several villages, including M3, M4,
Seunebok Simpang, Darul Aman and Idi Cut," Mansor was quoted by
Agence France-Presse as saying on Sunday.
All of these villages are in East Aceh.
"Accompanied by the military, dozens of militia members
intimidated the villagers and forced them to tell of our
whereabouts. They (the militia members) even burned several
houses there," he added.
Yani Basuki was not available for comment Sunday.
According to Mansor, TNI recruits members of the militia
groups from Javanese employees who are working at state owned-PT
National Plantation I, located at the Alue le Mirah area in Kuta
Binjei subdistrict and Kara Inoung area in Ranto Peureulak
subdistrict.
"The Jakarta policy to further develop the current conflict in
Aceh as an ethnic clash is absolutely unacceptable because it is
a crime against humanity," Mansor said.
Still in East Aceh, 3,500 teachers there pledged on Saturday
their loyalty to the Indonesian government at the Merdeka Field,
Langsa.
They demanded the government continue military operations to
crack down on GAM.
Separately, in Banda Aceh, some 30 wives of GAM members begged
their husbands to come out of the jungle and surrender to TNI.
Along with 500 villagers, the wives of GAM members searched
for their husbands on Sunday in several locations where GAM
members were believed to be hiding.
"I hope my husband will come home as my children miss their
father so much," one of the GAM members' wives said.
Aceh Besar regent Sayuti Is and Aceh Besar Military District
Command chief Lt. Col. Joko Warsito briefed the group of
villagers and the GAM members' wives before they began searching.
However, the group did not find any GAM members during their
search.