LAKSAMANA.Net, August 22, 2004 08:34 PM
Review: Regions - Rebel Attack in Papua
Laksamana.Net - Suspected rebels ambushed an army patrol Tuesday (17/8/04),
sparking a two-hour clash that left two of the attackers dead, state news agency
Antara reported. One soldier was injured in the fighting, which coincided with
ceremonies to mark Independence Day.
The chief of Trikora Military Command overseeing Papua province, Maj. Gen. Nurdin
Zainal, told reporters that the exchange occurred at 10 am in Monia district, Ilu
sub-district, Puncak Jaya, some 750 kilometers southwest of Jayapura, the provincial
capital. The area is close to the Carstenz mountain range, which bisects the remote
and sparsely populated province.
The incident started when five soldiers stationed in the regency were informed that
members of the Free Papua Organization (OPM) would cause chaos in Mulia, the
capital of Puncak Jaya regency.
In a preemptive strike, the five raided a place thought to be a rebel hangout, but found
no one there. On their way back, they were attacked by rebels, and fought back. Two
rebels were shot dead, while First Pvt. Odjie from the Army's elite Special Forces
(Kopassus) sustained heavy injuries. "The incident showed that the Papuan rebels
were trying to send a clear message that they still exist," said Zainal.
A small separatist movement has battled rule by Jakarta since Indonesia took over
Papua from Dutch colonial rule in 1963. Around 100,000 Papuans - one-sixth of the
population - have died in military operations.
Rights groups have long accused the military of widespread abuses in the province.
Kendari Councilors Arrested
The entire 25-member council in Kendari, capital of Southeast Sulawesi, is being
investigated for allegedly pocketing tens of thousands of dollars in state funds by
marking-up personal expenses.
Twenty-one councilors have been arrested. Another suspect, the speaker of the
council, has been hospitalized.
The graft case has cost the state up to Rp1 billion ($106,382) said Kemas Yahya
Rahman, spokesman for the prosecutor's office on Saturday (21/8/04).
Rahman said those arrested are accused of marking up electricity, phone and health
expenses. Supporters of the councilors tried to stop a truck carrying them off to
prison, but were dispersed by police.
Megawati Visits Aceh Troops
President Megawati Sukarnoputri visited on Thursday (19/8/04) reinforcement troops
deployed to Aceh and promised to pay more attention to their welfare.
During the 15-minute visit to the isolated area in Alue Gintung village in Aceh Besar
regency, the president expressed her appreciation to the soldiers and police on duty.
Tightly guarded by police and military personnel, she was accompanied by Aceh civil
emergency administrator Insp. Gen. Bachrumsyah Kasman, Aceh military
commander Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya, Minister of Culture and Tourism I Gede
Ardhika, National Police chief Gen. Dai Bachtiar and Armed Forces (TNI) Commander
Gen. Endriartono Sutarto.
"I have been planning to see all of you here. I am grateful that I finally have the chance
to meet our troops as they carry out the noble duty of defending the country's
territorial integrity," she said.
"You were sent here because the negotiations for peace between the government and
GAM (Free Aceh Movement) failed. GAM refuses to acknowledge that Aceh is part of
Indonesia," Megawati told the troops.
Megawati also ordered that troops should not serve in conflict zones for longer than 12
months.
"I have asked that none of our soldiers should have to stay in conflict areas more than
one year. As a mother and as the President, I would ask you to take good care of
your health and safety as your families are waiting for you at home," she said.
The visit was the second for Megawati since she decreed martial law on May 19,
2003, and her fourth visit to the province since she was elected President in July
2001.
After the visit, she flew to Banda Aceh to open an Acehnese Cultural Festival before
flying back to Jakarta.
Six rebels killed
GAM rebels launched attacks on security personnel on Tuesday (17/8/04), leaving at
least 10 civilians injured, six rebels dead and one soldier badly wounded.
A group of GAM members fired a grenade at Matang Glumpang police station in
Bireuen regency. Six civilians were injured in the attack, said Aceh military
spokesman Lt. Col. Asep Sapari.
Earlier on the same day, four GAM members riding two motorcycles threw three
grenades at a crowd of people holding a gathering in front of state electricity company
PT PLN's East Aceh regency office. Four people were wounded in the incident and a
local resident suffered a heart attack.
Besides attacking civilians and police personnel, the rebels on the same day also
ambushed and intercepted troops in parts of East Aceh and South Aceh regencies.
Asep said no fatalities were sustained by TNI. Four rebels were shot dead in separate
incidents in the two regencies.
The TNI media center in Lhokseumawe said in a report released Wednesday (18/8/04)
that at least 1,159 rebels have been killed in the security restoration operation in the
past 10 months.
At least 672 rebels had been arrested and 696 others surrendered to troops in areas
across the province over the period, it said. "Some 753 guns of various types and
thousands of rounds of ammunition were also seized from the rebels," the report said.
Some 34 soldiers died in the battlefield, 26 others died of illnesses and accidents and
175 sustained injuries during the period.
Military, Police Offices Attacked
A mob vandalized local offices of the military (TNI) and police in two separate
regencies in West Timor in Nusa Tenggara Timur province. No fatalities were reported
but the buildings were severely damaged.
The attack on Miofao Military Command in North Central Timor occurred on Tuesday
afternoon (17/8/04), after a fight broke out between local military personnel and
spectators at a football game.
The game, held in a field in West Miofao district, had proceeded smoothly at first but
violence broke out when spectators refused to step back behind the sidelines.
Military and local leaders managed to restore order and offered to facilitate
negotiations between the military and residents.
Chief of the North Central Timor Military Command overseeing West Miofao district,
Lt. Col. Bambang S., said on Thursday that the dispute had been settled.
Two days earlier, dozens of people vandalized the Jerebu'u Police station in Ngada,
following the alleged assault of a local resident by a policeman.
East Nusa Tenggara police chief Brig. Gen. Edward Aritonang said later that the
situation in Jerebu'u had returned to normal.
Tremors Shake Yogyakarta
Residents evacuated their homes and offices on Thursday (19/8/04) after an
earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale shook the cities of Yogyakarta and
Banjarnegara at 1:33 pm (0633 GMT) for several seconds.
The epicenter was located about 159 kilometers south of Wates, a district town near
the southern coast of Central Java. Radio reports said it caused panic among
Yogyakarta residents, many of who ran from their houses.
A local volcanologist, however, said the quake was not connected to volcanic
activities at Mount Merapi. "Mount Merapi is still classified as normal," said section
chief Subandriyo at the Volcanic Technology Research and Development Center at
Mount Merapi.
Thirty minutes earlier a quake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale struck the island of
Sumbawa in West Nusatenggara province at 1:03 pm (0603 GMT). An official at the
Meteorology and Geophysics Agency's Jakarta office said the quake was centered 80
kilometers beneath the Indian Ocean, some 79 kilometers south of Sumbawabesar,
the main town on the island.
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