Aceh Police chief vows to end illegal levies<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Aceh Police chief Brig. Gen. Chaerul
\nRasjid urged truck drivers plying Banda Aceh-Medan route to end
\ntheir strike and promised to take stern measures against officers
\ncollecting illegal levies along the route.<\/p>\n
\"I hope all truck drivers will resume operations and I
\nguarantee that there will be no more illegal levies,\" Chaerul
\nsaid after meeting with provincial councillors and truck driver
\nrepresentatives on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\"I've ordered all police precinct chiefs to ensure their men
\nstop collecting illegal fees. Stern action will be taken on
\npersonnel who do not heed orders, including removal from the
\npolice force,\" the general said.<\/p>\n
Chaerul also revealed that most of the officers collecting
\nlevies were Police Mobile Brigade stationed here from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"We will pull them out,\" he asserted.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Aceh's Organization of Land Transportation
\nOwners (Organda) Oesman Banta expressed his satisfaction over the
\npolice's gesture and said drivers will resume work.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, however, only a few trucks dared to ply the Banda
\nAceh -- Medan route.<\/p>\n
Certain police and military personnel were said to be
\nextorting fees from truck drivers passing the route in which a
\ndriver may have to fork out as much as Rp 500,000 per trip as
\nthere are dozens of posts in every regency in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Due to the strike Acehnese have suffered shortages of staple
\nfood and the prices of various food stuffs from mineral water to
\nvegetables have risen rapidly.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile the trail of violence in Aceh on Saturday and Sunday
\nsaw the death of at least six people.<\/p>\n
In West Aceh, Sgt. Alhadi Sahid died on Sunday as a result of
\nsevere gunshot wounds when he was ambushed by Free Aceh Movement
\n(GAM) rebels in Setia Bakti district late on Friday.<\/p>\n
In North Aceh, an alleged rebel named Jaelani was shot dead on
\nSunday around 10 a.m. by a passing military patrol in Rambot
\nvillage in Lhoksukon regency.<\/p>\n
\"He fled the scene and was shot during the chase,\" local
\npolice chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Wanto Sumardi said.<\/p>\n
In East Aceh a man was shot in front of his house by unknown
\ngunmen in Tanoh Anoe village on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Idi Rayeuk Police chief Second Insp. Agus Tami said on Sunday
\nthat three other fatalities -- all employees of a palm-oil
\nplantation in Birem Bayeun district -- were killed by gunmen on
\nSaturday. (50\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aceh-police-chief-vows-to-end-illegal-levies-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}