At least 31 killed in Aceh shoot out, say Indonesian police

JAKARTA - At least 31 people, including a five-year-old child, have been shot dead at a palm oil plantation in Indonesia's rebellious Aceh province, police said today.

Police and separatist rebels have blamed each another for the bloodshed early on Thursday in East Aceh district.

"The confirmed death toll is 31, including a five-year-old child," deputy Aceh police spokesman Sudarsono told Reuters by telephone from the capital Banda Aceh, 1700km northwest of Jakarta.

"It was an attack by GAM," he said referring to the armed Free Aceh Rebel group.

The victims were plantation workers and were shot down when lining up for their monthly payment, he said.

Hundreds of people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the province this year, despite several rounds of high-level peace talks between Jakarta and the rebels, who have been fighting for independence for decades.

However, senior GAM official Teungku Amri bin Abdul Wahab denied any involvement in the killings, blaming the military who he said was patrolling in the village after an attack on a security post in the area the previous day.

"They asked them (villagers), 'Who attacked the security post?' ... Then they lined them up and opened fire," the leading Kompas newspaper quoted Wahab as saying today.

The province on the northern tip of Sumatra island will be one of the biggest headaches for President Megawati Sukarnoputri's new government.

In a step deemed positive for the resource rich province by some analysts, well respected career diplomat Hassan Wirajuda - a top negotiator in talks with rebels - was appointed the country's new foreign minister on Thursday.

However, GAM leaders this week warned peace talks slated for September would be in danger if Megawati did not free officials arrested last month, including its chief peace negotiator and its spokesman.

Indonesian police arrested six key Acehnese figures for inciting rebellion, including GAM spokesman Amni Marzuki and chief peace negotiator Nashiruddin Ahmad.

Indonesia sent 1500 troops to Aceh last month to reinforce about 30,000 police and soldiers already there.

Aceh is a key cog in Indonesia's economy, accounting for a fifth of the country's oil and gas exports.

- REUTERS

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