Fresh riot erupts in Aceh, victims yet to be found<\/p>\n
MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): Army units continued a desperate
\nsweep of the East Aceh regency Wednesday in search of eight
\nsoldier victims of an as yet unexplained attack, as further
\nviolence ensued in North Aceh early Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n
A police station and a military post in Banda Sakti, North
\nAceh, were attacked by a mob at 4 a.m. Wedensday.<\/p>\n
The cause of the attack, which also resulted in two cars and
\nfive motorcycles burned, is still unknown. There were no
\nimmediate reports of casualties.<\/p>\n
By 2 p.m. the situation was reported normal, although large
\ncrowds had gathered in the vicinities of the now damaged posts.<\/p>\n
There was no report of arrests.<\/p>\n
Separately in Jakarta Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto
\ndecried the abduction and possibly death of eight soldiers in
\nEast Aceh, describing it as a brutal and gross violation of human
\nrights.<\/p>\n
Military units deployed in the area continued their search
\nwhich has so far yielded little result with Armed Forces
\nofficials already conceding that at least five of the soldiers
\nmight be dead.<\/p>\n
Wiranto told reporters after attending a Cabinet meeting that
\nseparatist guerrillas probably incited the attacks and called on
\nthe National Commission on Human Rights to conduct a thorough
\ninvestigation into the matter.<\/p>\n
\"The attackers conducted a sweep of the roads and killed the
\nsoldiers in a sadistic manner,\" Wiranto added.<\/p>\n
\"This was not the work of citizens, not the work of Aceh
\npeople who hope to see an end to the military operation zone.<\/p>\n
\"It is the work of an old group who want Aceh to be
\nindependent. Their leaders incite people who really don't know
\nanything at all,\" Wiranto charged.<\/p>\n
There remains confusion on the actual number of victims with
\nthe Armed Forces initially saying Tuesday evening seven had been
\nabducted and then killed.<\/p>\n
The incident occurred Tuesday morning when about 200 residents
\nnear the village of Lhok Nibung began stopping vehicles in search
\nof Armed Forces personnel.<\/p>\n
At around 10 a.m. they stopped a CV Kurnia passenger bus bound
\nfor Medan, North Sumatra. The passengers included 16 off-duty
\nsoldiers who were on Christmas vacation.<\/p>\n
Lt. Col. Nurdin Sulistyo spokesman for the Bukit Barisan
\nmilitary command overseeing Aceh, Riau, North and West Sumatra,
\ntold The Jakarta Post in Medan Wednesday that 11 soldiers on the
\nbus escaped the inspection by showing their civilian identity
\ncards.<\/p>\n
The other five were dragged off the bus after they could only
\nshow their military identity cards.<\/p>\n
Eye witness reports said the five were severely beaten, tied-
\nup and thrown into a nearby river.<\/p>\n
\"We still haven't found them and are continuing to look along
\nthe river,\" he said, adding that it is not known whether the five
\nwere already dead before they were thrown into the river.<\/p>\n
The five were identified as: Privates M. Turnip, R. Siallagan,
\nMarasil Sinaga, Joulas Sirait and Yunus Tarigan. They were all
\nstationed with the Bireun 113 Infantry Battalion.<\/p>\n
According to Nurdin, three other soldiers -- led by Marines
\nMaj. Edi Yanto -- went missing later in the day when their Suzuki
\nCarry jeep was stopped by a mob near Payang Blang Payang village.<\/p>\n
They were taken by the mob and their fate is still unknown.<\/p>\n
Again according to Nurdin, and separately confirmed by
\nWiranto, 25 people have been detained for questioning -- 13 in
\nEast Aceh regency and 12 in North Aceh.<\/p>\n
Altogether 300 soldiers have been deployed to search for their
\nmissing colleagues. (21)<\/p>",
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