Violence in Aceh claims 16 lives

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Violence in Aceh claimed another 16 lives over the weekend as separatist rebels upped the ante by threatening to eject non-Acehnese from the province if the government goes ahead with plans to launch a limited military operation.

Free Aceh Movement (GAM) spokesman Abu Sofyan Daud did not mince words on Sunday in Lhokseumawe, North Aceh: "Once such a military operation is imposed, we are no longer responsible for the safety of non-Acehnese."

Speaking to journalists, he warned that GAM would retaliate by imposing a state of civil emergency "in which one of its central points would be to expel all non-Acehnese from Tanah Rencong (Aceh)."

There was no immediate information on how many "non-Achenese" live in the province.

After months of negotiations which included the signing of a humanitarian pause and a month-long moratorium on violence, the government has announced it will get tough on rebels in the province by launching a limited military operation.

There are currently 30,000 military personnel stationed in Aceh.

The government's announcement comes at a time when the security situation has continued to deteriorate in the province.

American-based oil and gas company ExxonMobil Corp. suspended operations in Aceh due to security threats.

Tight security cordons were seen around the empty compounds of ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia and PT Arun LNG in North Aceh on Sunday.

Locals said almost all employees have left the area. The Bukit Indah housing complex where the employees reside is nearly empty.

"It is in the best interests of all related parties that the abandoned company assets be guarded, because the last thing we need is for GAM to occupy it," the deputy spokesman of the police's Cinta Meunasah II operation, Comr. Sudarsono, told The Jakarta Post by telephone.

Bloodshed

While it was quiet in some areas, blood continued to be spilled in other parts of Aceh.

Security officers claimed on Saturday that seven people were killed by rebels in two locations in East Aceh.

They said four civilians were shot dead in Sungai Raya village in Rantau Selamat district.

Another three, identified as Guntur, Hakim and Midun, were allegedly shot by rebels on the Afdeling IV palm oil plantation in Seunebok, East Aceh.

There were also unconfirmed reports that a 16-year-old boy, identified as Zakaria, was shot dead on Sunday in West Langsa, East Aceh. There were no details of this shooting.

Meanwhile in Blang Reuling village, North Aceh, a civilian was killed when a group of marines were ambushed by armed rebels on Saturday.

"Three people, including one marine officer, were injured in the attack," North Aceh Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Wanto Sumardi said.

In Aceh Besar, three suspected GAM rebels were shot dead by police during a raid in Blang Krueng village, Darussalam subdistrict, on Saturday, said Aceh Besar Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sayed Husaini.

More civilians were reported killed in the cross fire as security forces conducted an operation to locate a GAM base in Kluet Utara district, South Aceh.

A young man, a woman and two children were reportedly killed in the incident.

In stark contrast to this latest violence, the Joint Committee for Security Affairs, comprising field commanders from GAM rebels and government troops, agreed on Sunday to declare North Aceh and Bireun "security zones".

"The two regencies are troubled with a relative high amount of violence," a representative from the military, Col. Ridwan Karim, told journalists at Hotel Kuala Tripa here on Sunday evening. He was accompanied by GAM representative Tengku Nashiruddin.

"Therefore both sides have agreed to select these two regencies for a pilot peace project for a period of 13 days. And if it works, we may establish another security zone in another regency," he said.

The agreement was reached after three days of meetings which ended on Sunday.

Both sides are scheduled to meet again on March 31.

"During this meeting, we did not discuss the planned limited military operation in Aceh. We believe the government is still committed to solving Aceh's problems through dialog," Ridwan said. (edt/50)