Fact-finding team formed as more bodies discovered<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A military police fact-finding team has been
\nformed by the Armed Forces (ABRI) in Aceh province to probe the
\nviolence in East Aceh following the discovery of more bodies.<\/p>\n
Chief of Lilawangsa Military District Col. Johnny Wahab said
\nFriday if it turned out that military men were involved, \"They
\nwill be punished in line with the law.\"<\/p>\n
\"We are still searching for the killers,\" he said, adding the
\nteam started work Friday.<\/p>\n
He said seven were killed in the clash in the hamlet of
\nMeusanah Blang Idi Cut of Darul Aman subdistrict in Idi Rayeuk in
\nEast Aceh Wednesday. He added East Aceh police had the names but
\nthe police were unavailable for comment Friday. On Thursday 12
\nvictims were identified Thursday by the Iskandar Muda Legal Aid
\nOffice in Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
A local correspondent has reported from Banda Aceh that four
\nout of six bodies found on Thursday in the Arakundo River in
\nSimpang Ulim subdistrict near the scene of the clash could be
\nidentified: Irwansyah bin Usman, 22, resident of Kapai Baro
\nVillage, Hasbi Saleh, 35, resident of Leubok Tuha Village, Irwan
\nbin Matsyah, 24, and Jailani Muhammad, 22, both residents of
\nJambo Bale-I Blok-M Village in Julok subdistrict.<\/p>\n
The bodies were found tied in sacks full of around 60
\nkilograms of stones in the river.<\/p>\n
Locals said they had directed the search for bodies along the
\nwide river after seeing a truck stop for a long time on a bridge
\nover it early Friday and witnessing much blood at the site.<\/p>\n
The violence occurred after some 20,000 locals who had
\nassembled to hear a sermon in a mosque in the hamlet were
\ndispersed by unidentified armed men. More deaths were feared as
\nfamilies reported members missing.<\/p>\n
Col. Johnny had said the meeting in which an inflammatory
\nsermon reportedly incited the audience was organized by the Free
\nAceh separatist group. He said around 200 military personnel have
\nbeen sent to secure the area.<\/p>\n
Human Hamid, a local figure, condemned the shooting and blamed
\nthe local military for the tragedy.<\/p>\n
He said the military has always used classic accusations
\nagainst \"separatists\" to account for any unrest in the province.<\/p>\n
Aceh was subjected to a military operation against separatists
\nfrom 1989 to 1998. Many killed by the military were not members
\nof the separatist movement, Human said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, around 40,000 university students held a meeting in
\nBanda Aceh demanding separation from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The protest followed a statement from Governor Syamsuddin
\nMahmud, who told Antara Thursday that the best solution to
\nmaintain the integrity of this widely diverse country was a
\nfederal state. Given the religious devotion of the Muslims in
\nAceh, it was possible to apply Islamic law there, he said,
\nwithout reference to the recent violence.<\/p>\n
\"We will no longer demand greater autonomy,\" Kautsar,
\nsecretary general of the Student Forum for the People (SMUR),
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"The central government should prepare the best means to make
\nway for separation.\" (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fact-finding-team-formed-as-more-bodies-discovered-1447893297",
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