ACHEH-SUMATRA NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT
ACHEH NATIONAL ARMED FORCES
CENTRAL MILITARY COMMAND

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF TNA

24 April 2003

The Commander-inChief of the TNA expresses his regrets over the Indonesian Government (GoI)'s unilateral cancellation of the planned Joint Council Meeting of CoHA, scheduled by the HDC for 26-27 April 2003. The Commander-in-chief of the TNA deplores the illogical excuse given by the GoI for the cancellation. The GoI wanted to force its will for the meeting to take place on 25 April 2003 as they had unilaterally announced publicly, fully aware that the GAM delegation was scheduled to leave for Geneva 5 minutes before 25 April. The Indonesian delegation itself, including Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. was supposed to leave almost at the same time. Consequently, the reason put forward by the GoI for the cancellation of the JC Meeting can only be cathegorized as childish, egoistic and most probably with a hidden agenda behind it.

With the cancellation of the JC meeting, the TNI's announced intention to launch a large scale military operation in Acheh is becoming nearer to realization. The Commander-in-Chief of the TNA has in fact predicted from the very beginning that the GoI was only using the JC proposed meeting and its cancellation as an opening scenario for the planned military operation. The TNA as an armed forces born from and cared for by the people of Acheh has the responsibility to give protection to the Achehnese from the harassment of the aggresors.

The TNA does hereby request the international community not to let the GoI act as it pleases in trying to solve the conflict in Acheh. It was the GoI that orchestrated the condition leading to the stalling of the JSC machinery, it was also the one that asked for the convening of the JC, and it is now this same government that has cancelled the planned meeting of the JC.

TNA Headquarters,
Commander-in-Chief – TNA

signed: Muzakkir Manaf