New Year party goes smoothly across nation<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): New Year celebrations generally passed
\npeacefully across the country, except for two fatal attacks on
\nsecurity personnel in the troubled province of Aceh over the
\nweekend.<\/p>\n
Second Sgt. Zulkifli, 35, a military officer, was killed on
\nSaturday while Second Sgt. Zenda, 35, a policeman, died on Friday
\nin separate armed assaults by unidentified groups in Pidie
\nregency.<\/p>\n
In between the incidents Aceh Police chief Brig. Gen.
\nBachrumsyah asked for people's forgiveness over harsh measures
\ntaken by security authorities, which he said were provoked by
\nFree Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist group members.<\/p>\n
\"I apologize for what my men did in the field. I regret it but
\nI did not wish such a thing to happen,\" Bachrumsyah said in his
\nyear-end statement on Friday.<\/p>\n
He was referring to the rough acts of reprisal committed by
\nsecurity personnel, which included a forcible search of a village
\nbelieved to be the harbor of rebels. The move frequently ended in
\narson attacks by the personnel.<\/p>\n
Bachrumsyah admitted that to maintain security and order, the
\npolice took repressive measures instead of attempting self-
\ndefense.<\/p>\n
\"Don't take it the wrong way. Being repressive does not mean
\nblindly shooting at people. It must be done according to the
\nlaw.\"<\/p>\n
At least 94 security personnel, 51 of them police officers,
\ndied and another 93 were injured while on duty in Aceh last year.
\nUp to 25 others are still missing.<\/p>\n
\"All of the personnel were killed during attacks by armed
\ngangs,\" Bachrumsyah said.<\/p>\n
Police data recorded that 275 houses, along with 65 schools
\nand government offices and 72 vehicles, were burned last year,
\nresulting in up to Rp 26.5 billion in financial losses.<\/p>\n
No less than 157 members of the armed gangs were arrested, 77
\nothers were killed and 12 were injured during armed clashes with
\nsecurity authorities, according to Bachrumsyah. Dozens of guns,
\nthousands of rounds of ammunition and 108 vehicles were seized
\nfrom the groups.<\/p>\n
Zulkifli of the Pidie military, died from severe stab wounds
\nto his neck and stomach following an ambush by an group of
\nunidentified men in Keudeu Gigieng of Simpangtiga district.<\/p>\n
\"We deeply regret the killing. How can they murder people
\nespecially during holy Ramadhan fasting month?\" Pidie military
\nchief Lt. Col. Iskandar said.<\/p>\n
A day earlier, Zenda, was killed on his way to Friday prayers.
\nHe died instantly from stab wounds to the abdomen.<\/p>\n
In Denpasar, Bali, three alleged thieves died when residents
\nof Banjar Sebudi village along Jl. Dewa Madri went into a rage
\nand assaulted them with various weapons just 30 minutes into the
\nnew year.<\/p>\n
Exuberant celebrations across the island of paradise continued
\nunperturbed as thousands of people thronged the streets, watching
\nthe once-in-a-lifetime parade of Ogoh-Ogoh (giant puppets) along
\nwith a music festival which was held during a traditional
\nceremony.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, a man died in a traffic accident and a pedicab
\ndriver named Sumarno, 23, lost his right foot in a massive
\nfirecracker blast at the front of the city's post office shortly
\nafter midnight on Saturday. Police are still searching for the
\nowners of the firecrackers.<\/p>\n
Thousands of partygoers crowded the streets across the
\nsultanate town to watch a Barongsai dragon dance. Hotels in the
\narea were fully booked.<\/p>\n
A similar mood was witnessed in Semarang, the capital of
\nCentral Java.<\/p>\n
In Surabaya, the capital of East Java and Makassar, the
\ncapital of South Sulawesi, student protests marred the millennium
\nfestivities.<\/p>\n
Marching to their respective council buildings, the protesters
\ndemanded that President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri bring peace to the riot-torn provinces of
\nMaluku and Aceh and send human rights violators to trial.<\/p>\n
\"We give them 100 days to solve those cases. If not, we will
\nask the House of Representatives and the People's Consultative
\nAssembly for a special session to pass a vote of no confidence,\"
\nHasbi L., a student leader in Makassar, said.
\n(27\/44\/51\/edt\/har\/nur\/zen)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/new-year-party-goes-smoothly-across-nation-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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