INDONESIA: INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS AND REBELS ACCUSE EACH OTHER OVER NEW KILLINGS IN ACHEH PROVINCE

Record ID: 647226

  • Title: INDONESIA: INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS AND REBELS ACCUSE EACH OTHER OVER NEW KILLINGS IN ACHEH PROVINCE
  • Date: 17th April 2003
  • Summary: (W3) BIREUN DISTRICT, ACEH PROVINCE, INDONESIA (APRIL 19, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF INDONESIAN MILITARY POST ALLEGEDLY UNDER ATTACK BY REBELS (GUNFIRE AUDIBLE) (9 SHOTS) 0.55 (W3) BANDA ACEH, ACEH PROVINCE (APRIL 17, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 2. WIDE OF CITY STREET 1.03 3. WIDE OF EXTERIOR OF JOINT SECURITY COMMITTEE (JSC) HEADQUARTERS 1.08 4. SLV JSC CAR OUTSIDE BUILDING 1.14 5. SLV OF NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM 1.18 6. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) JSC SENIOR INTERNATIONAL ENVOY, TANONGSUK TUVINUM, SAYING: "But as far as I'm concerned, I haven't seen government military operation at this moment. Because the mission is still going on, and we are still working under the framework of KOHA (Dec 9 peace pact). The agreement is still working" 1.45 7. SMV JOURNALISTS 1.49 8. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) SENIOR INDONESIAN ENVOY TO JSC, BRIGADIER GENERAL SAFZEN NOERDIN, SAYING: "Of course, if our posts were being attacked we have to counter the attacks" 1.58 9. SMV MILITARY AT NEWS CONFERENCE 2.02 10. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) SENIOR FREE ACEH MOVEMENT (GAM) ENVOY TO JSC, SOFYAN IBRAHIM TIBA, SAYING: "You can observe where the alleged armed conflicts took place. They all happened at GAM's enclaves. I will not speculate why such things happened, but you can judge yourselves." 2.15 11. WIDE OF JOURNALISTS AT PRESS CONFERENCE 2.19 12. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDONESIA HEAD OF HENRY DUNANT CENTRE, DAVID GORMAN, SAYING: "Right now we will focus on continuing the peace process. You know, this proces has been going for four months and there's been a couple of bad weeks. It's not good but I think we need to look at the larger picture here. You've got to have bad moments and you have to stick with it. It's a long-term process. It's not going to be solved overnight. You're gonna have your bad momments. It's time to see how we're going to overcome those and we'll help the two parties to do that in the Joint Council meeting." 2.52 13. WIDE OF STREET MARKET 2.58 14. SLV VEHICLES CROSSING STREET MARKET 3.05 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 2nd May 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ACEH PROVINCE, INDONESIA
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Reuters ID: LVA8YIHWEDLR7Y4EMGYWRF7ZG4E5
  • Story Text: Indonesia's military and separatist rebels in Aceh have
    exchanged accusations over reports of new killings in the
    province ahead of expected talks next week aimed at saving a
    floundering peace agreement.



    The military has accused Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
    rebels of shooting and killing three civilians, including a
    five-year-old child, on Friday (April 18) in the resource-rich
    province 1,700 km (1,060 miles) northwest of Jakarta.

    GAM has denied the accusation, claiming the civilians were
    killed by the Indonesian troops who where trying to chase down
    rebels.

    Separately Indonesian military said government forces had
    killed three GAM members when they attacked Indonesian
    positions. GAM claimed the military initiated the incidents.

    Such incidents are occuring more frequently now in Aceh,
    with both sides claiming self-defence and blaming the other
    for starting fire.

    Both the government and GAM have agreed in principle to
    meet next week, probably on April 25, to try to rescue a peace
    deal reached in December designed to end the simmering
    rebellion in the province that has taken thousands of lives,
    mostly civilian.

    The agreement initially sharply reduced the level of
    violence but in recent weeks has looked increasingly shaky.

    Indonesia has warned that a military operation in Aceh
    could be inevitable if GAM rebels in the upcoming meeting
    refuse to meet several conditions, including dropping efforts
    to separate Aceh from Indonesia and laying down their arms.

    "But as far as I'm concerned, I haven't seen government
    military operation at this moment. Because the mission is
    still going on, and we are still working under the framework
    of KOHA (Dec 9 peace pact). The agreement is still working,"
    said Tanongsuk Tuvinum, senior international envoy to the
    Joint Security Committee (JSC).

    JSC peace monitors across the province have recently been
    ordered to withdraw to the local capital following attacks and
    protests against four monitoring offices.

    The committee comprises independent foreign monitors --
    made up of Thai and Filipino soldiers -- along with
    representatives of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and government
    troops.

    The move came amid growing fears among diplomats that the
    pact, aimed at stopping fighting that has simmered for decades
    and taken thousands of lives, is unravelling.

    In an agreement brokered by the Geneva-based Henry Dunant
    Centre (HDC) on December 9, GAM promised to store its weapons
    and Indonesia agreed to withdraw troops to defensive
    positions. Each party has accused the other of failing to
    follow through on the deal.

    "Of course, if our posts were being attacked we have to
    counter the attacks," said Brigadier General Safzen Noerdin,
    Indonesia's senior envoy to JSC.

    "You can observe where the alleged armed conflicts took
    place. They all happened at GAM's enclaves. I will not
    speculate why such things happened, but you can judge
    yourselves," Sofyan Ibrahim Tiba said, accusing Indonesian
    troops of being in the offensive.

    Indonesia head of HDC, however, is optimistic that both
    sides are still committed to the peace process, saying that it
    is a long-term process and is bound to have "bad moments".

    "Right now we will focus on continuing the peace process.

    You know, this proces has been going for four months and
    there's been a couple of bad weeks. It's not good but I think
    we need to look at the larger picture here. You've got to have
    bad moments and you have to stick with it. It's a long-term
    process. It's not going to be solved overnight. You're gonna
    have your bad moments. It's time to see how we're going to
    overcome those and we'll help the two parties to do that in
    the Joint Council meeting," David Gorman said.


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