GAM members in Aceh barred from raising their flag

The police again reiterated that they would not tolerate any efforts by the pro-independent group GAM to raise their flag rather than the national Red and White in the troubled Aceh province, Suara Karya reported on Friday.

The deputy commander of the so called Love Operation 2000, Yatim Suryatmo, said in Banda Aceh on Thursday that whoever dared to raise other than Red and White flag before, during and after of the 4th anniversary of the Free Aceh Movement on Dec. 4 would receive a disciplinary measure from the security apparatus.

He acknowledged that the tension grew in the last two days with the rise in reports of conflicts between the rebels and the security force. "But in general the situation remains normal," he said.

According to media reports, a member of security force was kidnapped by unidentified in a village in Pidie regency when he was on his way to a barbershop. The kidnappers took away AK-47 weapon from the victim.

The rebels had also attacked a police post used by the security officials to guard the sports hall owned by ExxonMobil but no deaths were reported during the incident. (*)