The Cross

 

Ambon Berdarah On-Line
News & Pictures About Ambon/Maluku Tragedy

 

 


 

 

 

LAKSAMANA.Net


LAKSAMANA.Net, November 6, 2004 07:57 AM

More Killings in Aceh

Laksamana.Net - The Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) says soldiers have killed five separatist rebels in the latest violence in Aceh province, where a massive offensive against guerrillas shows no signs of abating.

Aceh military spokesman Ari Mulya Asnawi was quoted by Agence France-Presse as saying the members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) were killed in separate clashes in Pidie district on Thursday, while 10 others had surrendered or been captured.

He also said troops found three automatic weapons and 200 rounds of ammunition buried by GAM members at Pante Lhung village in Bireuen district.

At least 35 alleged rebels and one soldier were killed in the province in clashes over last four days of October.

The government on May 19, 2003, placed Aceh under martial law and launched a huge military campaign to eradicate the rebels. Since then, TNI claims to have killed more than 2,300 separatists, but human rights activists say many of the casualties were innocent civilians.

The martial law status was changed to state of civil emergency in May 2004, but the killings have continued, as well as reports of human rights abuses perpetrated by state security forces with virtual impunity.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adisutjipto this week visited Aceh to decide whether the civil emergency status should be extended when it expires on November 19.

He claimed there are still about 2,500 GAM members armed with approximately 850 weapons.

That’s quite an increase from May, when TNI commander General Endriartono Sutarto said there were only about 1,500 rebels still at large.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has pledged to end the Aceh conflict, but it remains to be seen whether he will continue to pursue the deadly military solution.

Yudhoyono had helped to broker a truce in Aceh under former president Megawati Sukarnoputri, but the ceasefire broke down after five months and was abandoned.

Aceh has 13 legislators in the national parliament formed last month. Most of them have called on the government to end the civil emergency and pursue a peaceful solution to the conflict, but their voices may drowned out by other legislators.

Copyright © 2000 - 2004 Laksamana.net, All Rights Reserved.
 


Copyright © 1999-2002 - Ambon Berdarah On-Line * http://www.go.to/ambon
HTML page is designed by
Alifuru67 * http://www.oocities.org/koedamati
Send your comments to alifuru67@yahoogroups.com
This web site is maintained by the Real Ambonese - 1364283024 & 1367286044