Aceh inmates flee prison to save their lives<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government said on Tuesday hundreds of inmates serving time
\nin prisons in tsunami-ravaged Aceh had fled prison to save their
\nlives during the disaster, which killed thousands of people.<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin said the
\nsituation was a force majeure as everyone ran for their lives
\nwhen tidal waves swept the province on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\"They ran away to save their own lives. It is allowable in
\nsuch a situation,\" Hamid told reporters during a visit to the
\nNational Police Headquarters.<\/p>\n
He was responding to reports that at least 204 inmates escaped
\nfrom a prison in Pidie, which was among the areas hardest hit by
\nthe disaster.<\/p>\n
Hamid said he was not sure how many inmates or prisoners had
\nescaped, but pleaded for them to return voluntarily once the
\nprisons had been renovated.<\/p>\n
\"If they turn themselves in, we will give them a sentence
\nremission,\" Hamid said.<\/p>\n
Those who were locked in their cells when the disaster struck
\nwere killed, including former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel
\ngroup negotiator Sofyan Ibrahim Tiba and women activist Cut Nur
\nAsikin who was sentenced to 12 years in prison for treason. They
\nwere serving their sentences at the Aceh Police detention center
\nin Banda Aceh, one of Aceh towns most affected by the disaster.<\/p>\n
\"Most of those under police detention in Banda Aceh have
\nperished, including Teungku Sofyan Ibrahim Tiba and Cut Nur
\nAsikin. There are some survivors, but we don't know at this point
\nwhere and how they are as obviously they are not staying put to
\nbe re-arrested or killed,\" a GAM leader said.<\/p>\n
Aceh Police were not available for comment.<\/p>\n
Director General of Penitentiary Services Marjaman told The
\nJakarta Post he had not received any reports on how many prisons
\nwere damaged and how many inmates or prisoners fled during the
\ndisaster.<\/p>\n
\"The communication line has not been restored yet, so we
\nhaven't received any reports,\" Marjaman said.<\/p>\n
There are 20 prisons across the province, each of which has
\naround 2,900 prisoners.<\/p>\n
\"All I heard was that Sigli prison is badly damaged and the
\nprisoners have escaped from it,\" Marjaman said.<\/p>\n
He added he heard that prisons in Bireuen and Meulaboh were
\nalso severely damaged. However, he did not know whether the
\ninmates had escaped or not.<\/p>\n
\"The prison walls collapsed but the town is still isolated so
\nwe don't know exactly what happened there,\" Marjaman said of the
\nprison in Meulaboh.<\/p>\n
He will leave for Aceh immediately to check the condition of
\nthe prisons.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aceh-inmates-flee-prison-to-save-their-lives-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}