Nani Farida, Banda Aceh – The highest-ranking commander of the military wing of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has publicly announced his support for the agreement with the government, although he also emphasized that GAM would continue with its much-criticized practices, including the collection of funds from the public.
Speaking to a small group of journalists at a GAM military camp in remote Teupin Raya, Pidie regency, about 128 kilometers southeast of Banda Aceh, GAM military chief Teungku Muzakir Manaf said his troops would fully observe the cease-fire order from GAM leader in exile Hasan Tiro upon implementation of the December 9 peace accord.
Muzakir denied Indonesian Military (TNI) allegations that GAM had continued to attack government targets, including military posts, despite the truce.
"We will not violate the peace accord. However, if we are attacked we have to defend ourselves," said Muzakir after inaugurating Sarjani Abdullah as Pidie military commander on Saturday afternoon.
The swearing-in ceremony was also attended by several GAM top officials, including GAM self-claimed finance minister Muhammad Usman and other senior military officers.
Journalists were invited to the place on Friday and asked to stay there overnight before Muzakir's media briefing on Saturday. Students of a state elementary school in the village were unable to attend school that day because their building was used as the venue.
In his meeting with journalists, the rebel chief repeatedly blamed TNI for military clashes between the two opposing parties because, he said, Indonesian troops aggressively attacked GAM-controlled areas. He also added that he had stopped the recruitment of new soldiers after the peace accord. "We are only acting in self-defense, and that is not prohibited at all," the rebel commander said.
Commenting on concerns voiced by the Joint Security Committee (JSC) that extortion had sharply increased in Aceh after a marked decrease in violence in the province, Muzakir confirmed that his troops had collected money from the public but emphasized that GAM was only exercising its right to ask for state taxes from large corporations and rich people.
"This is not extortion. GAM is only collecting Nanggroe [state] tax from businessmen, who are asked to pay voluntarily," Muzakir said.
He did not comment on JSC cricticism against GAM for stated gross peace violations as well as TNI for light violations. He only hinted that his troops had not committed any wrongdoings.
Hassan, who now resides in Stockholm, appointed Muzakir, 40, as GAM military chief in January last year, to replace Abdullah Syafii, who was killed by TNI troops in Pidie on January 22 last year. In contrast to the outspoken Syafii, Muzakir very rarely talks to the media, usually asking his spokesman, Sofyan Dawood, to do it instead.
Muzakir, however, is regarded as more capable in the field, having undergone military training in Libya. The self-proclaimed four-star general oversees 17 regional military commands across Aceh.
Meanwhile, the spokesman of JSC, which comprises representatives of the Indonesian government, GAM and third parties from neighboring countries Thailand and the Philippines, acknowledged there were still no concrete sanctions against violations by both GAM and TNI. "We will announce the form of concrete sanctions next week," spokesman Steve Daily said.
JSC senior envoy Maj. Gen. Tanongsuk Tuvinon disclosed the committee was currently investigating 24 violations in Aceh, after dealing with 27 cases last week.
In the meantime, one GAM soldier was shot dead by police on Saturday in Ulee Kareng, about 4 kilometers from Banda Aceh. Police hinted they had to shoot 26-year-old Saiful because he had attempted to flee when asked to stop in order to check his vehicle documents. "We also discovered he had a revolver on him," Aceh Police spokesman Taufik said.