[Kabar-indonesia] Ex-rebel killed, two wounded in fresh Aceh violence

[Joyo at aol.com]

Ex-rebel killed, two wounded in fresh Aceh violence

BANDA ACEH, July 4 (AFP) -- A former separatist rebel
was killed and a policeman wounded in an attack
witnessed by members of a foreign peace monitoring
mission in Indonesia's Aceh province, police said
Tuesday.

The ex-Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel, aged 32, was
killed during a shootout Monday between Indonesian
soldiers and unknown gunmen in North Aceh, police
spokesman Jodi Heriyadi told AFP.

The skirmish, which also wounded a policeman and
another civilian, occurred at dusk while members of
the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) and soldiers were
investigating the arrest of a civilian by local
military in the area.

The civilian had been arrested in front of a military
post for speeding on a motorcycle and allegedly
carrying marijuana, Heriyadi said.

He said AMM officials, military officers and several
former GAM members were being briefed on the arrest
along with several civilians when gunmen fired upon
the group. Soldiers manning the post retaliated by
shooting toward the gunmen.

One of the ex-GAM members was killed, while the
policeman who was escorting the AMM officials, and a
civilian in the group was wounded, Heriyadi told AFP.

"This case is still being investigated by the AMM and
Indonesian authorities," he said.

The AMM confirmed the attack.

"This serious incident will be further investigated...
with a particular view to clarifying the facts and
ascertaining that the law has been respected," the AMM
head of mission Pieter Feith said in a statement.

He said the AMM would look into whether the armed
forces had interfered in law enforcement and whether
excessive force was used.

"AMM is particularly concerned that its monitors were
placed in danger in the course of their duties," Feith
added.

The Indonesian government and GAM signed an historic
peace pact on August 15, aimed at ending 29 years of
conflict which has left around 15,000 people dead --
mostly civilians.

The AMM is due to wrap up its mission in September.
Nearly 200 monitors were initially stationed in Aceh
after the pact was signed, but about 100 left in March
when the mission was scaled back.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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