Worse violence looms as GAM defies calls to surrender

Worse violence looms as GAM defies calls to surrender

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta/Banda Aceh

Fear of the worst bloodshed is looming in Aceh as the Indonesian
Military (TNI) continue their siege on separatist rebels, who
refused to budge and rejected calls for their surrender on
Monday.

The rebel group taunted TNI leaders in a press release signed
by Free Aceh Movement (GAM) spokesman Sofyan Dawod on Monday.

"It would be an honor if Army Strategic Reserves (Kostrad)
Commander Lt. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu would come to Aceh and lead
the fight against us, instead of venting his anger in Jakarta,"
the release said.

Ryamizard is the current Army Chief of Staff and has headed
Kostrad for the past year and a half.

"We expect them not to be so emotional in facing us, nor to
believe in the reports they have received from the their men
here," Sofyan declared in the statement.

The impending do-or-die battle will destroy hopes for the
peace agreement which has been sought by the two conflicting
parties over the past two years.

Armed conflict between the government and GAM since 1976 has
claimed 10,000 lives, of which the majority have been civilians.

Thousands of Acehnese had rallied in support of the peace
accord, the signing of which was originally scheduled to take
place early this month.

Security troops have besieged the rebels and their leaders at
their own headquarters in Cot Trieng village in northern Aceh
since Wednesday, as Jakarta increases pressure on GAM to sign a
cessation of hostility before Idul Fitri early next month.

GAM has said the signing would likely take place after the
Muslim holiday. GAM had unilaterally declared a cease-fire before
the military troops launched the siege.

On Sunday, Ryamizard threatened GAM to surrender or face
massive attacks from the military. Ryamizard received full
support from TNI Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, who said on
Monday that the siege would continue until GAM agreed to sign the
peace accord.

"We have launched rockets around the area as a warning to GAM
that although we have the capability to crush them, we have
chosen to give them more time to sign the peace accord,"
Endriartono said after a limited Cabinet meeting presided over by
President Megawati.

Endriartono asserted that TNI had a duty to shut down any
secessionist movement, including GAM.

"Our move to surround their headquarters has proven to
effectively reduce GAM activities and we will maintain the
tactic," the four-star general said.

To add more pressure on GAM, Jakarta urged the Swedish
government to take action against GAM leaders in exile in Sweden,
who have adopted Swedish citizenship.

Underlining the 1970s United Nations (UN) convention, under
which member countries are obligated to take action against their
citizens involved in rebellions in other countries, Jakarta
expects Stockholm to restrict the movements of GAM leaders.

"Stockholm has stated its support for Indonesia's territorial
integrity; we are asking them to prove their statement,"
Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said on Monday at a
press conference after the cabinet meeting. He explained further
that the appeal was directed at GAM leaders Hassan Tiro, Abdullah
Zaini and Malik Mahmud.

"The Swedish government provides living allowances, and as a
sovereign country, it could impose certain limitations on its
citizens," Hassan added.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said during the same press conference
that the government was waiting for GAM to return to the
negotiating table during the current fasting month.

In its release, GAM said that it was open to the peace accord,
but accused TNI of having tainted the unilateral truce GAM had
declared in respect for the fasting month.

Separately, Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh said that he
completely supported the TNI move, and hoped that the situation
could be resolved without claiming more civilian lives.