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Indonesian Navy Prepares 11 Ships to Withdraw Troops from Aceh
Friday, 19 August, 2005 | 22:54 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:According to Indonesian Naval chief of staff Admiral Slamet Soebijanto, 11 ships are being prepared during August to transport naval troops from Aceh.

“However, Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto himself will make the decision regarding the withdrawal of the troops,” stated Soebijanto in Jakarta on Thursday (18/08).

According to Soebijanto, the ships prepared by the Indonesian Navy can withdraw troops from Aceh at any time.

“We just have to wait for the order from the TNI commander. We are already prepared for September,” he stated.

The withdrawal of TNI troops is not easy, Soebijanto said, because in the agreement between the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), the withdrawal of TNI troops shall be carried out in line with the destruction of GAM weapons and the surrender of GAM members.

Regarding differences of opinion in relation to the holding of human rights violation trials, Soebijanto said that the Navy would support government policy in this matter.

“This agreement shall be detailed by the government as the decision maker. We will implement what is decided,” he stated.

According to Soebijanto, if the agreement on the retroactive principle of the human rights court is interpreted by each institution involved, he is worried that things will not go according to the wishes of the government.

“Let the government detail this agreement further, and we will then implement the agreement,” he stated.
(Fanny Febiana-Tempo News Room)