There are reports of shooting in the major tsunami aid-base of Banda Aceh in the Indonesian province of Aceh. There have been conflicting accounts of the incident, which happened near the main United Nations aid office, but no casualties have been reported. One policeman blamed separatist rebels for the gunfire, another said a disturbed government soldier fired the shots. The area is now quiet.The incident could raise concern about the safety of hundreds of Western aid personnel pouring into Aceh province, where almost all of Indonesia's more than 104,000 deaths from the Boxing Day tsunami and earthquake occurred. "A police team that was guarding the house of the deputy police chief saw people carrying guns. The police warned these people, then fired a shot and an exchange of fire occurred," Inspector Lazuardi, leading two truckloads of police deployed at the scene after the shooting, said. Three people the police were shooting at fled, he said, adding the firing lasted about 10 minutes. Asked who he thought was responsible, Inspector Lazuardi said: "Who else? GAM (the rebel Free Aceh Movement) is the one who likes to disturb."
GAM rebels have been fighting the Indonesian Government for nearly three decades. Both sides made conciliatory gestures immediately after the tsunami but since then have accused one another of initiating several clashes. A policeman guarding the UN compound said the incident had nothing to do with GAM. "It was a [security forces] member who was traumatised. The police and military have secured this area. It's safe. We are here to protect. It was only an isolated incident," he said. The area was quiet later and the police trucks left.