TNI deploys British tanks to Aceh

The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe, Aceh

Three dozen British-made Scorpion tanks have joined Indonesian troops in Aceh to fight local separatists, risking further dispute with the European country.

The heavily armed tanks arrived on Sunday as part of the reinforcements from the West Java-based First Cavalry Battalion of the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad).

Aceh Military Operation Commander Brig. Gen. Bambang Darmono said the tanks would help safeguard Aceh's main roads from ambushes by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

The small-sized tanks are designed for combat in city areas, boasting high maneuverability and speed.

Their deployment, however, could stir protest from Britain, which sold them under the agreement that the tanks would not be used to fight local separatists.

When asked about the possible breach of contract, Bambang said "If they are already here, it means that the Indonesian Military (TNI) has carefully considered it."

The British government has complained to Indonesia over the deployment of Hawk jets imported from the European country to bombard Aceh rebel positions, saying it violated the pre-purchase deal. Britain also warned that its military cooperation with Indonesia would be undermined due to the use of warplanes in Aceh.

Visiting British Foreign Office Minister Mike O'Brien said early this month that there was a pre-purchase agreement between the two countries stipulating the Hawks could be used only in "particular circumstances".

Despite the warning, the Indonesian Air Force said it would continue using the jets to provide air cover for government troops who are intensifying their offensive on rebel bases.

A Britain-based human rights group, the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CATT) and the Indonesian Human Rights Campaign (Tapol), wrote to O'Brien last month regarding the possible use of Scorpion tanks to support the military operation in Aceh.

"The use of UK-manufactured Scorpion tanks for the purpose of military operations in Aceh again illustrates that the government's failure to revoke the export licenses for the Scorpions in July 1997 has left the Indonesian Military with equipment that can be used for internal repression. This is clearly contrary to the UK's arms export criteria announced at the same time," the human rights campaigners said.

The tanks' arrival will add to the fire power of the Army, which has been fighting the war without their own tanks. So far, only the Navy's Marines have used tanks, allowing them to penetrate GAM-controlled areas.

The Aceh martial law administrator announced that 18 clashes had been recorded on Sunday in which six rebels were killed and two were arrested, while 22 others surrendered to authorities.

Military spokesman Col. Ditya Soedarsono also said five bodies were discovered in five separate locations on Sunday.

Ditya said government troops had so far killed 255 separatists, detained another 535, including 222 who had surrendered to the security authorities since the military offensive commenced on May 19.

Sixteen rebels, including their local commander, Sahrul, from Ruap village, Central Kluet subdistrict, are the latest GAM members to surrender. They surrendered to the TNI battalion in South Aceh.

The death toll among soldiers and police remains unchanged at 25 and three killed, respectively.

While the military has not provided a revised death toll on the number of civilians, updated data from the provincial police on Saturday revealed that 102 noncombatants had been killed, including 16 teachers, six civil servants and 26 village heads.

In just over one month, the war has forced over 40,000 people to flee their homes.

Ditya said the military believed the rebels were becoming increasingly cornered and were fast depleting their ammunition.

Separately, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi called on all GAM members to surrender as soon as possible in order to restore peace to the restive province.

The leader of the country's largest Muslim organization also appealed to the government to consider granting amnesty to those who voluntarily surrendered.

"Laying down their arms and acknowledging the territorial integrity of Indonesia is the only way for GAM to avoid the loss of more victims in the province," Hasyim said on Sunday in Cirebon, West Java told Antara.

"If they (GAM members) truly want to return to the Indonesian side, we appeal to the President to grant them amnesty."