Aceh legislators concerned over civilian killings<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Local legislators expressed concern on
\nSaturday at the number of civilian killings in this volatile
\nprovince and asked the security authorities to stop the violence
\nand take firm action against the perpetrators.<\/p>\n
\"Too many people have died for unknown reasons here. Many more
\nare missing without trace. Only if (the family) is lucky, then
\ntheir bodies are found,\" Muchlis Muchtar, a provincial councilor
\nwho is also a member of an independent inquiry team into rights
\nabuses in Aceh, told human rights activists on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Recent reports reveal that civilians have fallen prey to
\nrandom shootings. In many cases they were mistakenly killed by
\nsecurity personnel, separatist rebels or armed groups.<\/p>\n
At least 250 people, including 16 soldiers and 13 policemen,
\nhave been killed since January this year. Some 12 civilians have
\nbeen reported missing this month, while it is thought many other
\nfamilies have been afraid to report abductions or false arrests.<\/p>\n
Unofficial data shows that an average of 20 to 25 bodies were
\nfound each week in the first two months of the year.<\/p>\n
\"Most civilians were shot dead without clear reasons, whether
\nin antirebel raids or even at regular vehicle checkpoints,\"
\nMuchlis said.<\/p>\n
Security authorities began the third stage of an antirebel
\noperation name-coded Sadar Rencong III in February to restore
\norder and target some 800 alleged rebels and criminals on the
\nwanted list.<\/p>\n
During the hearing, the councilors expressed their regrets
\nover an overnight shooting of two civilians at road checkpoint in
\nfront of the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) Headquarters in the
\nprovince's capital Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"We've just met with Aceh Police chief who has promised to
\nimpose stern penalties on any officers who have committed
\nmisconduct. Let's hope he keeps his word,\" Zulkifli Asyiah,
\nanother legislator, said.<\/p>\n
Reports said police mistakenly shot dead late on Friday night
\nChairuddin, 24, and injured his friend Zakaria. They were stopped
\nat a vehicle checkpoint when riding a motorbike.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said both men were doing nothing wrong when they
\nwere shot. Chairuddin's body was taken to a nearby Shabara riot
\npolice station before being transferred to Banda Aceh General
\nHospital at about 1 a.m. on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Zakaria is reportedly still missing.<\/p>\n
A police source who requested anonymity said the shoots were
\noriginally aimed at another man who tried to escape, but
\nChairuddin was hit instead.<\/p>\n
Police officials refused to comment on the incident and asked
\njournalists to directly check with the commander in the field.<\/p>\n
Operation Sadar Rencong Commander Col. Yusuf Muharram said in
\na press release later on Saturday, however, that the two men were
\nmembers of a suspected armed gang and that they were \"running
\naway\".<\/p>\n
In a related development, villagers found on Saturday the
\nbodies of two men, identified as Siwi and Simin, who had been
\nmissing since Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Husni Husin, an activist of the Commission for Missing Persons
\nand Victims of Violence (Kontras) quoted local residents as
\nsaying on Sunday that the two men formerly worked as military
\nspies known as cuak and had been captured by the military and
\ntaken to Idi Cut Military Command.<\/p>\n
Another three men were arrested by the military on Saturday,
\nHusni said.<\/p>\n
In North Aceh, a 48-year-old woman identified as Habimah A.
\nRahman was shot dead on Friday night by alleged rebels in front
\nof her child at her house at Kandang village, local police chief
\nLt. Col. Syafei Aksal said. (50\/51\/edt\/sur)<\/p>",
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