Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak and Nani Farida, Lhokseumawe/Banda Aceh – The Martial Law Administration in Aceh is intensifying efforts to prevent Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leaders from fleeing the province or country, an official says.
Military operation command spokesman Lt. Col. Ahmad Yani said on Sunday that the decision followed rumors that GAM leader Sofyan Dawood had fled to Malaysia.
"We are not sure about Sofyan's claim that he is in Malaysia, but we will continue to follow the latest developments," he was quoted by Antara as saying. "If Sofyan is in Malaysia, we are now questioning his commitment to his movement," he said.
If Sofyan had fled to Malaysia and left others to continue the rebellion against the Indonesian Military (TNI), this showed GAM was plagued by disorder, Yani said.
Meanwhile, Col. Ditya Sumarsono said it was "quite possible" Sofyan had fled to Malaysia "but then again he could be lying ... while in fact he is still hiding from us in Aceh." Sofyan is the rebel's chief spokesman and also commander of GAM's key Pase district near the city of Lhokseumawe. He reportedly left Aceh more than two weeks ago and flew to Malaysia via Jakarta using a different name.
Separately, Tengku Jamaica, the GAM spokesman for Samudra Pasai, said Sofyan was in Malaysia undertaking a secret mission for GAM. Sofyan would return to Aceh when his mission in Malaysia was accomplished, he said.
Jamaica denied TNI claims that Sofyan had abandoned GAM rebels fighting the TNI. "The claim is not true. Tengku Sofyan will return to Aceh when he finishes his mission abroad." Sofyan's mission in Malaysia was not related to the TNI's offensive against GAM, Jamaica said, but he did not elaborate. Separately, National Police have drawn up a wanted list containing Sofyan's name and will distribute it to police across the country and Malaysian Police beginning Monday.
Meanwhile, Malaysian authorities had no information that Sofyan was in their country, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday. Badawi, who is also home minister in charge of security, told the official Bernama news agency that apart from the news report "we don't have any information yet".
He said it was up to police to take action if the GAM leader was really in Malaysia. "We never invited them to come," he said.
As of Sunday, Ahmad Yani claimed the TNI had killed nine GAM members, arrested another four and confiscated two pistols during operations since Friday.
The Indonesian government imposed martial law on May 19 to wipe out GAM, which for decades has been trying to set up an independent state within the oil-rich but underdeveloped province.