Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Mobilizing Relief Action as Disaster Strikes Once Again

By Ross Peterson

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Posted 01/04 | Add a Comment

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  1. The basic needs for survival after a natural disaster are the same all over. The article is good at making this point. But the hospital in Aceh was devastated. Thank goodness the Italian emergency team mobilized within 24 h

    Posted by Sylvie Brossard from Brome Lake  on  01/05  at  11:39 AM

  2. Indonesian military continues war in Aceh despite devestation

    “Our security operations continue, the only difference is that it may be less in scale and intensity,” Lieutenant Colonel Nachrowi, of the military headquarters’ general information department, told AFP.

    Indonesia’s Aceh province had been under virtual martial law, largely closed to the outside world as 40,000 troops hunted separatists of the Free Aceh Movement. The Indonesian military have not ceased raids against separatist rebels. . .

    Lieutenant Colonel Nachrowi of the military headquarters general information department told The Australian newspaper “Our security operations continue… We continue to launch raids into suspected GAM (Free Aceh Movement) areas and our vigilance remains high.”

    The Free Aceh Movement has been fighting for independence since 1976, and the Indonesian Government stepped up its military suppression efforts with a massive operation that began in May 2003. Immediately after the earthquake and tsunami the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) announced a unilateral truce in its war with Indonesian forces.

    “The reports we received is that they are moving in more troops under the guise of relief operations,” Mr Abdullah said.

    There are news reports that Government troops have continued anti-insurgency actions in Aceh. A Subdistrict guerrilla commander with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and two of his men died in a clash with troops in northern Aceh on 31 December, according to TNI military spokesman, Ari Mulya Asnawi, on the state-run news agency Antara. He accused them of trying to attack a relief convoy.

    GAM spokesman Teuku Jamaika said military raids had continued in hill areas of Idi Rayek, in Bireuen, Gandapura and Pasongan. Local people had been prevented from leaving their villages to find relatives or simply to help, he said. “It was prohibited, blocked. If they left their villages there were threats.”

    Posted by Ross J. Peterson from Montreal, Canada  on  01/08  at  05:26 AM
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