Central Aceh isolated after Takengon violence<\/p>\n
Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Central Aceh regency remains isolated, with the main highway
\nconnecting the regency with other regencies blockaded by
\nresidents following two recent violent incidents in the regency
\nthis month.<\/p>\n
Most people in rural areas of the regency now live in fear and
\nstay indoors because of the uncertain conditions and the prices
\nof daily goods are rising after the transportation between
\nBireuen and Takengon was blockaded by local residents who are
\ndemanding justice in regard to the two incidents.<\/p>\n
S. Sembiring whose car was set aflame and ruined during a
\nMarch 15 road block incident by the militia group, said people
\nhad stopped their daily activities because of the presence of the
\nconflicting groups of armed civilians in remote areas of the
\nregency.<\/p>\n
"Farmers do not go to their farmland and traders have closed
\ntheir shops in small towns and villages in the regencies because
\nthey fear for their lives if attacked by any of the thugs," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
At least four people have killed, several others injured and
\neleven cars and buses were burned down by rebels in Burlintang, a
\nsmall town 15 kilometer south of Takengon.<\/p>\n
The incident followed the attack by the suspected pro Jakarta
\nmilitia group on the monitoring team's Joint Security Committee
\n(JSC) office in Takengon. The mob said they were angry about the
\nJSC's perceived failure to stop alleged extortion by the Free
\nAceh Movement (GAM) in the regency. Two JSC members were injured
\nand three cars belonging to the team were torched.<\/p>\n
Sembiring said the situation in Takengon was still relatively
\nnormal. But he said fuel prices had risen to between Rp 3,500
\n(some 39 U.S. cents) and Rp 5,000 from the current prices of Rp
\n1,800 to Rp 2,200.<\/p>\n
A reliable source said that hundreds of people in Pondok Baru,
\nsome 33 kilometers east of Takengon, staged a demonstration,
\ndemanding local security authorities to enhance security both in
\ntheir own villages and at traditional markets.<\/p>\n
The demonstrators had Laskar Jihad headbands, the supposedly
\ndisbanded Java-based Muslim paramilitary gang, and claimed that
\nGAM was being behind the two incidents.<\/p>\n
Ela, the owner of a coffee shop in Ronga-Ronga, 40 kilometers
\nsoutheast of Takengon, said she had closed her shop because of
\nthe mounting situation in the village.<\/p>\n
She said thousands of tons of fruits and vegetables have been
\nrotting in Ronga-ronga because of the paralyzed highway.<\/p>\n
Subsequently prices of fruit and vegetable in Banda Aceh have
\nbeen rising amid the absence of supply from mountainous areas in
\nCentral Aceh. Prices of tomatoes have risen by over 70 percent
\nfrom Rp 4.500 per kilogram.<\/p>\n
Brig. Gen. Suharto, chief of the operation to restore security
\nin Banda Aceh, said he had instructed the police and military in
\nBireuen and Central Aceh to boost security along the Bireuen-
\nTakengon highway and to ensure the supply of basic commodities to
\nthe regency.<\/p>\n
"I will go to Takengon immediately to check the social
\ncondition in the regency and urban areas in the regency," he
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/central-aceh-isolated-after-takengon-violence-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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