Aceh violence kills 74 within 10 months<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): The campaign of violence perpetrated by
\nthe Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels over the past 10
\nmonths has claimed 74 lives, police said here on Monday.<\/p>\n
Aceh Police inspector Sr. Supt. H.M. Ramli Irsyad said the
\nfatalities included eight military soldiers and 11 police
\npersonnel.<\/p>\n
The figure excluded nine people who were killed or found dead
\nin three separate locations in East Aceh on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Ramli said at least 127 people, including 46 military soldiers
\nand 57 police officers, were injured during the same period, in
\nwhich the Aceh Police, backed by the military, launched an anti-
\nrebel special operation code named Cinta Meunasah.<\/p>\n
He said GAM had intensified their campaign of terror, by
\nconducting a series of bomb and arson attacks on local government
\nand police facilities, despite the implementation of the
\nhumanitarian pause which is aimed at reducing violence.<\/p>\n
\"The separatist rebels have also intimidated local residents
\nby opening fire and abducting both residents and security
\nofficers,\" Ramli said.<\/p>\n
He urged the security authorities to uphold the supremacy of
\nthe law, especially as Aceh braces for the first anniversary
\ncelebration of the referendum demand on Nov. 8 and GAM's 24th
\nanniversary on Dec. 4. Ramli predicted that GAM would intensify
\nits activities ahead of the two events.<\/p>\n
\"I urge local police officers to take stern but lawful actions
\nagainst the separatist movement,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Security authorities in East Aceh said the latest violence in
\nthe regency on Sunday killed eight people and injured a soldier.<\/p>\n
East Aceh Military Command Lt. Col. Denny K. Irawan said two
\nGAM members were killed in Alue Punti village, Bayeun district,
\nnear the place where local residents discovered the body of a
\npolice officer, First Sgt. Ramli, who had been missing since Oct.
\n9. The body was half burned when it was found.<\/p>\n
On Sunday evening, a gunfight between GAM members and a joint
\nmilitary and police force erupted in the neighboring village of
\nSimpang Nenas. It left four GAM members killed and one military
\nofficer injured.<\/p>\n
Deputy chief of the Cinta Meunasah operation Supt. Yatim
\nSuyatmo confirmed on Monday that four GAM members died, while two
\nothers managed to escape.<\/p>\n
In a separate incident, Zulkarnaini from the Anti Violence
\nStudent Forum (FOMATAK), said two residents were found dead on
\nSunday after being arrested by police in Bantayan village,
\nSimpang Ulin district, for allegedly helping GAM.<\/p>\n
\"The two were abandoned in the street and only one of them was
\nknown as a GAM member,\" he said.<\/p>\n
East Aceh's GAM spokesman Abu Kalifah confirmed on Sunday that
\none of the two was a movement member but stressed that he was
\nunarmed when arrested by the police.<\/p>\n
Separately, East Aceh police chief Supt. Abdullah Hayati gave
\na different account, saying that the two alleged GAM members were
\nshot dead in a gunfight after they attacked patrolling security
\npersonnel. (50\/lup)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aceh-violence-kills-74-within-10-months-1447893297",
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