ABC AUSTRALIA, 11/01/2005, 18:42:42
Australia plays down risk of militant attacks on tsunami aid
workers
Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, has played down concerns Australian
soldiers and aid workers in the tsunami-devastated Indonesian province of Aceh could
be targeted by Islamic militants.
The opposition Labor Party says it is surprised Indonesian troops have been given the
job of guarding Australians in Aceh.
It is concerned Australian soldiers and aid workers could get caught in the cross fire
of Aceh's anti-government conflict.
Our reporter, Richard Davis, says fears have also been raised that Islamic militants
may attack Western aid workers.
But the Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, says it is clear the Australians are there
for humanitarian, rather than military, reasons.
"We've been cautious, for example, with our military in ensuring that they're not
armed," he said.
"You know they're happy not to be armed - the indonesian military are committed to
providing appropriate security for them.
"Mr Downer says it's unlikely Islamic extremists would attack westerners who were
seen to be helping the Acehnese."
GAM denies it's disrupting aid efforts
Claims and counter claims are being made between the Indonesian army and the
separatist Free Aceh Movement, known as GAM.
The exiled leader of GAM has denied that his followers have been disrupting the
foreign aid effort in Aceh, which was devastated two weeks ago by the Indian Ocean
tsunami.
Our reporter in Aceh, Steve Marshall, says GAM leader Malik Mahmud, who is now
living in Sweden, spoke by phone to a national television audience in Indonesia.
Live on air, Mr Mahmud denied claims by Indonesian army officials that separatists in
Aceh province have been stopping aid reaching refugee camps.
He has accused the army of telling lies, and has reminded the public of the
self-declared ceasefire on the day of the disaster so foreign and domestic aid could
flow.
©2005 ABC
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