23 die in Aceh within 10 days: Kontras<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A week after the announced redeployment of Crack
\nRiot Troops from unrest-prone areas in the tormented Aceh
\nprovince, violence escalated and at least 23 people have been
\nkilled in less than 10 days.<\/p>\n
The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence
\n(Kontras) revealed in a media briefing on Friday that between
\nAug. 19 and Aug. 27 at least 23 people were found dead with
\ngunshot and stab wounds. Ten of them remained unidentified,
\naccording to Kontras coordinator Munir.<\/p>\n
\"There have been several exchanges of gunfire, arbitrary
\narrests and mysterious killings in some areas, a week after
\nMinister of Defense and Security (Gen. Wiranto) announced the
\nredeployment of PPRM ( Crack Riot Troops),\" Munir said.<\/p>\n
The bodies of the victims were found in separate areas of West
\nAceh, North Aceh, East Aceh and Pidie, Munir said.<\/p>\n
Wiranto announced last week that the military would redeploy
\nthe PPRM fighting separatists guerrillas in the strife-torn
\nprovince to strategic locations such as the Arun gas plant, or
\nreturn them to the barracks.<\/p>\n
The military, he said, would temporarily halt its offensive
\noperations -- tracking down separatist rebels and weapons -- to
\nprevent more victims among innocent people.<\/p>\n
Wiranto had said the troops would be withdrawn from their
\nrespective operation zones, although some would be deployed to
\nsafeguard strategic projects in the province.<\/p>\n
\"We still see military troops in at least five areas,
\nincluding transmigrants' residential areas,\" Munir said.<\/p>\n
Munir cited areas like Bukit Cemara and Krueng Meuseugob in
\nEast Aceh where military troops remained on alert, based on the
\n\"pretext\" that they were safeguarding transmigrants' residences
\nwhich were said to be government assets.<\/p>\n
To avoid more problems in the province, Munir said, Wiranto's
\nplan to reestablish the Iskandar Muda Military Command in the
\nprovince should be reconsidered and if necessary halted. The
\ncommand is scheduled to be set up on Sept. 1.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Pidie Police precinct chief Lt. Col. Endang Bagus
\nsaid the police were detaining eight alleged members of the
\nseparatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) who were arrested during a
\nmilitary raid last month.<\/p>\n
Endang claimed the suspects, especially Umar Puntong, knew
\nmuch about GAM's military strategy. Umar lost one of his legs
\nwhen personnel of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) shot him a
\nfew years ago.<\/p>\n
\"Umar was intensively involved in the armed separatist
\nmovement,\" said Endang.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, refugees in Pidie demanded the military rebuild at
\nleast 80 houses in the districts of Meureudu, Trienggadeng and
\nTiteu Keumala. They said the military destroyed their houses
\nafter they fled to various makeshift refugee centers recently.<\/p>\n
Antara reported on Friday that daily activities had slowly
\nreturned to normal in Pidie, North Aceh and East Aceh regencies.
\nIntercity buses have also resumed operating, and many schools
\nhave reopened.<\/p>\n
Earlier reports said that up to 15,000 schools in Aceh had
\neither been set ablaze or damaged in armed conflict between
\nseparatist rebels and the military.<\/p>\n
Violence-torn areas like Juluk district in East Aceh, Simpang
\nKandang and Muara Dua in North Aceh have started to witness a
\nreturn of normal daily activities. Local marketplaces have
\nreopened.<\/p>\n
Provincial officials said in capital Banda Aceh on Thursday
\nthat the number of refugees in various centers had drastically
\ndropped from 180,000, including 150,000 in Pidie alone, to about
\nhalf in the whole province. In Pidie, 58,000 refugees remain.<\/p>\n
Coordinator of volunteers in Pidie, Ilyas, however, warned the
\nnumber could increase again if the military and local government
\nfailed to fulfill their promise to guarantee their safety and
\nrebuild their damaged or burned houses.<\/p>\n
\"The government must act quickly to help them build their
\nhouses,\" said Ilyas.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Serambi Indonesia daily reported on Friday that
\npolice found three dead bodies in Cot Blang Awe in Pidie on
\nThursday. Police said they were unable to identify the victims,
\nbut promised to bury them in accordance with Islamic law.
\n(44\/51\/emf\/prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/23-die-in-aceh-within-10-days-kontras-1447893297",
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