Now the soldiers are basing themselves in the mosques. The intensification of the military campaign is partly in response to the closure of the Aceh s Arun oil and gas field. Oil giant Exxon Mobil, which had been the target of GAM strikes, stopped production at Arun in late March, citing security concerns according to Asyikin. Indonesia will go hungry if Aceh beaks away. She said the rape of Acehnese women by Indonesian soldiers is also common, citing three separate incidents in which Indonesian soldiers raped Acehnese women and then forced the women s sons to also rape them.
Rape brings shame on the victim and on the victim s family.
According to Asyikin, human rights workers who ve investigated the brutal tactics of the Indonesian forces are targeted too. Asyikin wants the Australian government to send more aid to the region. The Aceh Times Aceh Links aceh.org .