Press Release No. 148-03
8 April 2003

ACEH ATTACKS: FILIPINO MONITORS REMAIN SAFE; ATTACKS SHOULD NOT DETER EFFORTS AT PEACE – OPLE

The Philippines deplores the attacks by unidentified persons on the offices used by the Tripartite Monitoring Team in Aceh and confirms that all Filipino peace monitors in Aceh are safe, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople.

On 6 April 2003, a mob of some 1,000 people ransacked and torched the peace monitors' office in the Indonesian province of Aceh. The mob arrived at the empty Tripartite Monitoring Team office in Langsa, the district town of East Aceh, in trucks and pickups around 9:00 am (0200 GMT) and forced their way in, destroying computers and other equipment before setting the building on fire.

On 7 April 2003, hundreds of people besieged the peace monitoring office in Indonesia's Aceh province on Monday.  About 750 people demanded the monitoring team leave the town of Tapaktuan in south Aceh

The Philippines, together with Thailand, and in coordination with the Geneva-based Henry Dunant Center are actively involved in monitoring the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement which was signed on 9 December 2002 between Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement.

“Our primary concern is the safety of our Filipino peace monitors.  We have 8 brave and dedicated men from our armed forces helping to bring peace to the people of Aceh.  The number of killings has declined dramatically since the agreement, the first to be monitored by foreigners, took effect,” Secretary Ople said.  Aceh's separatist war has claimed an estimated 10,000 lives since 1976.

“Our Ambassador to Indonesia, Ambassador Rafael Seguis, has reported that our peace monitors remain safe and that he and the Thai Ambassador have been assured by the Indonesia Government that all efforts will be taken to ensure the safety of our peace monitors,” the Secretary added.  The Secretary also said that Ambassador Seguis and the Thai Ambassador will be meeting with Chief Security Minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono shortly to further discuss the matter.

“We are committed to the peace process in Aceh and hope that these violent incidents will not be repeated.  It is clear that the people of Indonesia and Aceh want peace,” the Secretary said. 

The Secretary also said that contingency plans are in place to ensure the safety of Filipino peace monitors. END.