Jakarta – No less than 200 members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) were killed in armed contacts with the Indonesian Military (TNI) troops within the Teuku Umar Military Resort Command jurisdiction in 2001, a military officer claimed on Sunday.
Spokesman for TNI's operation command for peace restoration in the Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province Maj. Ertoto said as quoted by Antara that the TNI personnel also managed to arrest 250 people believed to be members of the separatist group.
The jurisdiction of the Teuku Umar military command in Aceh covers the districts of Sabang, Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar, Simuelue, Aceh Barat, Aceh Selatan and Singkil.
In addition, at least 1,600 people from the rebel group have surrendered themselves to government authorities since the implementation of Presidential Instruction No. 4/2001 on the security restoration operation in Aceh, Ertoto claimed.
Meanwhile, villages which previously ran only about 20 percent of their administrative activities can now carry out up to 70 percent of their routines while activities in sub-district administrations have now turned to normal, he said.
The spokesman also claimed the frequency of GAM's activities in a number of areas was also reduced, and many people now "enjoy a normal life".
In the latest action, five more people, including a woman, were killed in ongoing skirmishes between government and separatist forces over the past few days, residents and GAM said on Sunday.
In North Aceh, two unidentified gunmen shot dead a teacher on Saturday, residents said as quoted by AFP.
The body of an unknown man, with gunshot wounds, was found with his hands tied behind his back in South Aceh on Saturday, a humanitarian activist said.
Unidentified gunmen also shot dead a housewife who was on her way home after attending prayers for the Idul Adha celebration on Friday, residents told a local journalist.
Another man was wounded by gunshots when he attempted to run away when hailed by a police patrol on Friday, the local police chief, First Insp. Junaidi said.
In East Aceh, two gunmen shot dead one pedicab driver on Thursday, residents said.
A spokesman for the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM), Ishak Daud, said government troops conducting a sweep in East Aceh, shot dead a village chief on Friday. They also arrested three civilians whose fate remained unknown.
The military or police in East Aceh could not be immediately reached for confirmation.