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298 People Killed in Indonesia's Aceh
Spokesman for the Indonesian National Police (Polri) Inspector General Didi Widayati said Tuesday that 298 people have been killed, including military and policemen in Indonesia's province of Aceh during March-April this year.
"As many as 33 military personnel, 36 police personnel, and 229 members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and local people were killed in Aceh province during March 12 - April 12 this year," he said, adding that 128 military personnel, 132 policemen, and 155 local residents including Acehnese guerrillas were injured during that time.
"Meanwhile, three military personnel, 10 policemen and 56 local residents are still missing," he said.
Widayati added that separatist activities in the oil-rich province have been escalating recently despite calls from the government to refrain.
"We think that such activities have to be dealt with by stern measures to prevent that (separatism) from being protracted," he said.
He also said that the police have arrested 209 people suspected to be members of the GAM, and seized seven rifles, 5,414 ammunition, 165 grenades, 63 sets communications equipment, 3,447 pieces of the GAM flag, 1,509 kilograms of marijuana, 1,364 bullets and thousands of GAM documents.
Acehnese rebels have been stepping up their gun-fighting against Jakarta recently despite calls from Jakarta to back to negotiation table.
Jakarta has also prepared itself to tackle the rebellion by launching the so called "upholding law and security operation."
Thousands of troops have been sent to the predominantly Muslim province.
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