Unwanted War Brings Unavoidable Sufferings in Aceh

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, May 25, 2003

Unwanted War Brings Unavoidable Sufferings in Aceh

As the military operation entered seventh day in Aceh, the westernmost province of Indonesia, casualties and damages for both the government and rebels and local civilians began to mount.

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As the military operation entered seventh day in Aceh, the westernmost province of Indonesia, casualties and damages for both the government and rebels and local civilians began to mount.

The fierce offensive was launched by the Indonesian Military Force (TNI) on May 19, hours after President Megawati Soekarnoputri issued a presidential decree to impose the martial law in the restive province where the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has been struggling for an independent Islamic state since 1976.

According to Lt. Col. Firdaus Komarno, the spokesman of the TNImilitary operation in Aceh, 58 GAM guerrillas have been killed anda couple of dozens of GAM fighters captured. The government troopsalso captured a GAM military commander, Teungku Hassan Muda, on Nasi Island four miles off Banda Aceh. The rebel leader later diedat a military hospital from wounds sustained during the fighting. Nasi, the GAM military training base was taken by the government forces. But the rebels have burnt down 328 schools and damaged twogovernment offices and five bridges in retaliation of the Jakarta's military operation.

On the other side, the GAM claimed 12 of their militants have been killed in the fighting with the government troops, along with53 civilians. GAM's chief spokesman Sofyan Daud told a foreign news agency reporter that more than 30 people, including some teenagers had been killed in Bukit Sudan village near Bireuen town.

Amid the new accusation of human rights violations, the TNI said on Saturday that it is looking into the alleged killing of local civilians.

The most challenging humanitarian support need is looming as there seems no end of the devastative war so far. In some regencies, where the separatist forces built their strongholds, electricity has been cut off, residents started to skip meals as staple food was scarce in some isolated areas, and public transportation stopped operation due to security reason.

The English daily Jakarta Post reported here Sunday that distribution of food has become the local administration's headache since the full-blown military operation was resumed in the province. Truck drivers, who used to deliver basic goods and needs from the neighboring provincial capital of Medan to Banda Aceh before the military offensive ceased their business for security reason.

In Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province, the prices of staple food such as sugar, cooking oil and eggs shot up by some 30percent and stock has been ebbing in the last week.

Gasoline distribution and supply were also disturbed, particularly in some areas, such as North Aceh and Pidie, where the military operation has been undertaking. The military and security authorities have reinforced personnel to guard gas stations in Banda Aceh to prevent possible sabotage.

In order to avert a famine crisis, the Aceh provincial administration plans to recruit some 100 trucks to resume the delivery of staple food soon under the military protection.

As an effort to help smooth the military operation in Aceh, theIndonesian foreign ministry called all foreign envoys in Jakarta for a meeting to explain the current situation in Aceh and the government's stance, appealing for international support for its military actions to crack down the separatist movement in Aceh.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Police has also asked the neighboringcountries as Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore to take measures to curb arms smuggling into the conflict-torn Aceh and to hunt down any rebels trying to escape from the military attack and seeking asylum abroad.

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