| 'Acheh
is an independent kingdom. If ExxonMobil wants to resume
operations, they should negotiate with The Kingdom of Acheh.'
—
ABDULLAH SYAFIIE, a
commander of the Free Acheh Movement
'If
they (ExxonMobil) resume operations without having an
agreement with the Kingdom of Acheh, then GAM can not
guarantee the safety of the project and the workers.' |
|
 AM
MILITARY COMMANDER Tengku Abdullah
Syafei said on Saturday the company should ask for
permission from GAM supreme commander Tengku Hasan Tiro if
it wanted to resume its gas operations in Lhoksukon.
The company has been suspending its gas operation in the
area from March 9 on security concerns, forcing the
liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer PT Arun NGL Co, which
relies on the company for its gas supplies, to stop its LNG
production and exports to South Korea and Japan.
"Acheh is an independent kingdom. If ExxonMobil wants to
resume operations, they should negotiate with The Kingdom of
Acheh.
"If they (ExxonMobil) resume operations without having
an agreement with the Kingdom of Acheh, then GAM can not
guarantee the safety of the project and the workers,"
Syafei was quoted as saying by the SCTV private television
channel.
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WASHINGTON POST and MSNBC |
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Syafei made the statement as
the government was preparing to dispatch combat troops to
fight against the rebel group Over 1,000 government troops
were hurriedly dispatched to the province Sunday to take
part in a crackdown against separatist rebels.
The province on the northern tip of Sumatra island accounts
for a third of Indonesia's exports of liquefied gas, and the
closure of Arun's LNG plant could have a serious impact on
the country's moribund economy.
The war waged by GAM against the central government has
claimed about 100 lives each month since the beginning of
this year. More than 6,000 have died in 26 years of
separatist fighting.
Abu Sofyan, a GAM commander in North Acheh, vowed on Saturday
to prepare an all-out war against the government troops by
mobilizing part-time guerillas
throughout the strife-torn region.
"Our tens of thousands of guerillas who have already
been well trained will be deployed in Pidie, North Acheh and
East Acheh," Sofyan said, referring to the worst-hit
districts.
Sofyan also warned non-Achenese people, especially settlers
from Indonesia's dominant island of Java, to leave the
province.
"Military operations in Acheh ... have claimed the lives
of unarmed civilians," Sofyan said. "Therefore, we
call on the non-Achenese to leave (Acheh) immediately."
The
article is distributed by
Tapol in London |
