U.S. ambassador offers training for Aceh police
U.S. ambassador offers training for Aceh police
JAKARTA (JP): United States ambassador to Indonesia Robert
Gelbard, during his visit to the restive Aceh province on
Wednesday, offered cooperation in police training and
development, officials said on Thursday.
The police's Cinta Meunasah II Operation spokesman, Adj. Sr.
Comr. Sad Harunantyo, told The Jakarta Post by phone from Aceh's
capital of Banda Aceh, that Gelbard conveyed the offer during his
meeting with Aceh Police chief Brig. Gen. Khaerul Rasyid on
Wednesday.
In a one-and-a-half-hour meeting, Gelbard explained that the
U.S. was prepared to provide police training to handle cases of
rioting, terror schemes, bomb threats and negotiation.
"Such trainings have been and will be conducted in several of
the country's cities such as in Jakarta, Semarang, Surabaya and
Medan," Harunantyo said, quoting Gelbard's remark in the meeting.
Gelbard will remain in Aceh for several days to obtain first-
hand information about the current security condition there.
The ambassador reiterated the U.S. government's support for a
peaceful resolution to the conflict in Aceh through dialogs.
"The United States government is confident that Aceh matter
can only be solved through humanitarian approach, not security or
military (approach)," Gelbard said in his visit to Syiah Kuala
University.
He also reasserted that his government would not back Aceh
separation from the Republic of Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Antara also reported on Thursday that the Joint
Security Committee on Aceh, which is comprised of representatives
of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian government,
decided on Wednesday to repeal the "security zone" classification
imposed in two of Aceh's most restive regencies, North Aceh and
Bireun.
The decision was reached after an evaluation meeting on
Wednesday in Banda Aceh.
Indonesian representative Col. Ridwan Karim told media that
GAM had violated the previous agreement by conducting "various
kinds of attacks in the designated security zone".
"GAM have committed no less than 12 attacks on patrolling
officers, three blitzes on security posts, three shootings -- one
of which involved a murder, three bombings, robbery and arson,"
he said.
"Therefore such violence free areas are no longer
appropriate," Ridwan added.
At least three people, including two separatist rebels, have
been killed in the latest violence to hit the restive Indonesian
province of Aceh, police reports stated on Thursday.
Two suspected rebels were killed on Wednesday when a land mine
they were planting in Mon Geudong, in the Banda Sakti subdistrict
of North Aceh, exploded, a police report made available to the
Post said.
Meanwhile, the body of an unidentified civilian was found
wrapped in plastic sheets on the side of a road in western
Langsa, East Aceh, on Tuesday, Harunantyo said. (edt)