The Indonesian military claimed Wednesday to have killed almost 4,000 rebels of the Free Aceh Movement during the two-year-long martial law and civil emergency that ended last month, while only about 200 soldiers died, half of them for non-combat reasons.
Indonesia imposed martial law in the troubled Sumatra Island province of Aceh on May 19, 2003, and launched a military operation to crack down the rebels of the movement, which is locally known as GAM, after Jakarta and GAM failed to reach a peace deal. The status was extended for another six months on November 19 that year.
On May 19 last year, then President Megawati Sukarnoputri lifted the martial law and imposed a state of civil emergency in the northernmost province, which was devastated by last December's earthquakes and tsunamis, killing almost 130,000 people.
The status was extended for another six months and last month, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono lifted the status amid peace talks between the government and GAM that resumed in January this year. A peace accord is expected in July or August.
Indonesian Defense Forces Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto told a group of parliamentarians visiting military headquarters in East Jakarta that 3,738 rebels and 213 soldiers were killed during the period. He stressed, however, that half of the soldiers were died due to non-combat reasons, such as in accidents, of illness or being shot by their fellow soldiers.
"During the first period of the martial law, the level of death among our soldiers was high because we had no enough military accessories such as night-vision glasses, helmets and anti-bullet vests," Sutarto said, adding that 75 soldiers were killed during the period.
According to the military chief, before the martial law was imposed, between 5,000 and 6,000 rebels were fighting for Aceh independence with between 2,000 and 2,500 weapons.
The number of the rebels increased to between 9,000 and 10,000 during the first period of martial law, with between 3,000 and 3,500 weapons. "But after a massive military offensive, their current number is between 1,200 and 1,500 with about 500 weapons," Sutarto said.
When the tsunamis hit the province on Dec. 26, the military lost about 400 weapons. "And an arrested rebel told us that 100 of the weapons had been found by his compatriots," the general said.
Sutarto also said that during the two-year period, 2,825 rebels surrendered and 3,030 were captured, while 2,330 weapons were confiscated.
During the occasion, Sutarto also reiterated his statement that the military will not withdraw its soldiers from Aceh when a peace accord is reached.
GAM has been waging a war for Aceh independence since 1976. The rebels accuse the central government of human rights violations in Aceh and of squandering the province's natural resources while leaving the Acehnese in poverty. At least 12,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the conflict.