Government must work to restore security in Aceh: Governor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Aceh Governor Syamsuddin Mahmud called on the
\ngovernment on Monday to give serious attention to restoring
\nsecurity in the province, where he said people were still
\ntraumatized by the impact of a decade-long antiseparatist
\nmilitary operation.<\/p>\n
Speaking to journalists after meeting with President B.J.
\nHabibie at Merdeka Palace, the governor said the trauma was so
\ndeep that residents were easily provoked by rumors of a military
\npresence.<\/p>\n
"If security forces came in, people would be terrified and
\nthey would flee," the governor said.<\/p>\n
Syamsuddin said irresponsible groups, which he described as
\n"unknown crowds", continued to agitate people against members of
\nthe Indonesian Military, although the soldiers' presence was
\nmeant to restore order and security in the villages.<\/p>\n
"We continue to appeal to the people not to be provoked by
\nrumors, but it is not easy," he said.<\/p>\n
During the meeting with Habibie, the governor also reported on
\nthe delayed elections in East Aceh, North Aceh and Pidie. He said
\nthe decision on whether to hold elections in these three
\nregencies depended on the General Elections Commission (KPU) and
\nthe National Elections Committee.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Monday, KPU chairman Rudini announced the
\ncommission had decided to cancel the elections in North Aceh and
\nPidie due to rampant security disturbances in the regencies.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Antara reported from Pidie that Ubit Pakek, 58, the
\nprincipal of state-run elementary school SD Negeri No. 3 in Kota
\nBakti, and Hasballah, 54, a teacher at an elementary school in
\nBakti, were killed by a group of unidentified people on Sunday
\nnight.<\/p>\n
Pidie Military Commander Lt. Col. Iskandar said the men's
\nbodies were found by villagers near an irrigation ditch on Monday
\nmorning after they were forcefully removed from their homes by
\nabout 15 armed people.<\/p>\n
The news agency did not give a motive for the killings. It
\nonly reported villagers were forced by the assailants to identify
\nthe homes of the two victims.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, citing witnesses and a military officer on Monday,
\nReuters reported that troops shot dead on Sunday a suspected
\nseparatist rebel in Nisam, North Aceh, about 300 kilometers south
\nof the provincial capital of Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
The officer said the shooting occurred when a group of
\nIndonesian soldiers on routine patrol encountered an unidentified
\nmotorcyclist who attempted to flee.<\/p>\n
"The soldiers had to shoot because he was suspected of being a
\nmember of the rebel group," second Lt. Edi Haryanto, a local
\nmilitary officer in Nisam, said. "The victim was shot because he
\ntried to flee."<\/p>\n
Also on Sunday, a jeep was set ablaze in another part of the
\nprovince. A number of schools and government buildings have been
\ntorched over the past month in attacks the military has blamed on
\nseparatist rebels.<\/p>\n
Following the recent burning of 10 district offices in North
\nAceh, civil servants have been forced to move from location to
\nlocation to continue their work.<\/p>\n
"Some of the officials have resorted to working at local
\ncoffee shops, particularly to serve people who want to get new
\nidentity cards," regency spokesman Badruddin Ishak said.<\/p>\n
The burned offices are located in the Samalanga, Sawang,
\nNisam, Blang Mangat, Samtalira Aron, Meurah Mulia, Tanah Pasir,
\nSamudera, Baktiya and Seuneddon districts. (prb)<\/p>",
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