LAKSAMANA.Net, June 17, 2004 08:00 PM
Aceh Rebels Deny Charges
Laksamana.Net - Separatist rebels in Aceh province have condemned the arrest of
their Stockholm-based leaders by Swedish authorities for alleged links to terrorist
acts in Indonesia, arguing they are waging a legitimate fight for independence.
"We are not terrorists. We're fighting for freedom from the Indonesian colonizers,"
Bakthiar Abdullah, a spokesman for the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Stockholm,
was quoted as saying Thursday (17/6/04) by the Associated Press.
GAM founder Hasan Tiro, deputy leader Zaini Abdullah and 'prime minister' Malik
Mahmud were arrested Tuesday by Swedish police on suspicion of "grave breaches of
international law".
The arrests followed repeated complaints from Indonesia that the three, who have lived
in Sweden for decades in self-exile, had ordered bombings, kidnappings and arson
attacks.
Abdullah and Mahmud are still in detention and being questioned by Swedish
prosecutors, while Tiro (80) has been spared incarceration because of his advanced
age and health reasons. All three sought political asylum in Sweden in the 1970s and
were later granted citizenship.
More than 13,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Aceh since GAM
commenced its battle for independence in 1976.
Abdullah said that although GAM opposed the arrests of its leaders, it would not seek
to intervene in the Swedish judicial process, adding the two detainees were being well
treated.
Some analysts have said the arrests would reduce morale among the estimated 1,000
GAM fighters holding out against Indonesian forces in Aceh. But a GAM commander
in Aceh, Ishak Daud, on Wednesday dismissed the arrests as a political incident and
vowed the separatist fight will continue.
Indonesian Investigators Head to Sweden
Three Indonesian police detectives have gone to Sweden in an attempt to interrogate
Tiro, Abdullah and Mahmud, Agence France-Presse reported Thursday.
The officers departed late Tuesday and will seek permission to question the trio in
order to help build cases against rebels detained in Indonesia, said National Police
spokesman Paiman.
Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda said Thursday the Indonesian government is
ready to provide Swedish authorities with additional evidence as well as witnesses
against the three GAM leaders.
"If they need more evidence during the investigation process, or if they need
witnesses during the trial, we are ready to help," he was quoted as saying by state
news agency Antara.
He said the government's readiness to help was a manifestation of Indonesia's
appreciation of Sweden's commitment to take concrete legal action against the GAM
leaders.
On Wednesday, Indonesian officials urged GAM fighters to end their insurrection and
focus themselves on helping to peacefully develop resource-rich Aceh.
"GAM should immediately halt its activities and join other people in building Aceh so
that its people can live prosperously," Indonesian Defense Forces commander
General Endriartono Sutarto was quoted as saying by AFP.
Yasril Ananta Baharuddin, who heads parliament's security commission, called on the
rebels to surrender "so that they can fight for the aspirations of Aceh and its people in
a constitutional way and not through violence".
Vice President Hamzah Haz also urged the rebels to "return to the fold" of Indonesia.
But so far there are no signs of a lull in the violence in Aceh, which has claimed more
than 1,000 lives over the past 13 months.
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