Military rejects proposed poll delay in Aceh<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The military in Aceh dismissed concern on Friday
\nthat insecurity may force the postponement of the June 7 general
\nelection in the troubled western territory.<\/p>\n
\"There won't be any postponement... the elections will
\nproceed as scheduled,\" Lilawangsa Military Commander Col. Johnny
\nWahab, who oversees security in Pidie, North Aceh and East Aceh,
\ntold The Jakarta Post by phone from the North Aceh capital of
\nLhokseumawe.<\/p>\n
Johnny's area of jurisdiction has been the hotbed of security
\ndisturbances which the military blames on the separatist Free
\nAceh Movement, which has intensified its activity lately.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, National Military (TNI) spokesman Maj. Gen.
\nSyamsul Ma'arif said Friday that the army stood by its commitment
\nto make the elections take place on the same date in all regions.<\/p>\n
The government has been considering an election delay in
\nPidie, North Aceh and East Aceh because of the rising cases of
\nviolence that the army has attributed to the Free Aceh movement.<\/p>\n
Johnny said he needed more troops to secure about 900 polling
\nplaces in Pidie, North Aceh and East Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"We now have three battalions of about 1,200 riot troops.
\nIdeally, we need about 5,000 troops to be able to properly secure
\nall those polling places,\" he said.<\/p>\n
When asked if he would ask Jakarta for more troops, Johnny
\nsaid: \"It is not necessary, we will make the best of those
\navailable.\"<\/p>\n
TNI Commander Gen. Wiranto dispatched riot troops only a few
\ndays after the military shootings in the North Aceh village of
\nKrueng Geukueh on May 3 which killed 41 civilian protesters.<\/p>\n
The shooting prompted mounting calls in Aceh for a referendum
\non self-determination and for a boycott of the elections.<\/p>\n
Pidie, North Aceh and East Aceh are the regencies which had
\nbeen most affected by eight years of anti-rebel military
\noperations that were halted last year.<\/p>\n
Resentment against the military and Jakarta has also risen
\nwith soldiers being accused of widespread human rights abuses
\nduring operations against secessionist rebels.<\/p>\n
Earlier Friday, six students from Syiah Kuala University of
\nBanda Aceh started a hunger strike at the General Elections
\nCommission (KPU) in Jakarta to dramatize their rejection of the
\nelection and their demands for referendum.<\/p>\n
In a statement, they accused the government and military of
\nhaving \"no intention whatsoever to solve the problems of Aceh\".
\nThey said they were ready to go on hunger strike until their
\ndeath for the cause.<\/p>\n
The strikers, grouped under the Student Solidarity for the
\nAceh People (SMUR), also demanded that the military stop sending
\ntroops to Aceh under any pretext.<\/p>\n
Refugees<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Antara reported that at least 10,000 people,
\nincluding 200 migrants, in the North Aceh district of Bireun have
\nfled their villages for fear of further violence following the
\nalleged separatist attack on the nearby Peudada district on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
According to the military's account, six people -- two
\nsoldiers, a female doctor and her staff member, and two migrant
\nsettlers -- were killed by separatist rebels in the attack.<\/p>\n
The news agency quoted local officials as saying on Friday
\nthat the residents had begun fleeing their villages on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Officials said that the residents were taking refuge in the
\ndistrict chief office, a local community health center and also
\nin a number of schools in the area.<\/p>\n
Another 800 migrants from Java have also fled their villages
\nin the two districts on Thursday night for fear of further
\nattacks and were seeking shelter in a number of government
\nbuildings in Lhokseumawe.<\/p>\n
Johnny also confirmed reports that doctors and paramedics in
\nNorth Aceh have threatened to abandon the area following
\nTuesday's violence.<\/p>\n
Antara also reported that two teams of observers from the
\nCarter Center and the National Democratic Institute will monitor
\nthe elections in Aceh.<\/p>\n
An official said that it was still not clear whether these
\nforeign observers would monitor the elections in Pidie, North
\nAceh and East Aceh. (46\/byg\/edt\/rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/military-rejects-proposed-poll-delay-in-aceh-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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