Police intensify probe into Aceh blackouts<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Provincial Police have stepped up their
\ninvestigations into electricity blackouts which hit Aceh over the
\npast few days amid violence on Thursday that claimed the lives of
\ntwo officers and injured several others.<\/p>\n
"We are in the process of questioning the depot chiefs of both
\n(state-owned oil and gas company) Pertamina and (state
\nelectricity company) PLN," spokesman of police's Cinta Meunasah
\noperation Sr. Comr. Kusbini Imbar told The Jakarta Post by phone
\nfrom Banda Aceh on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The two depot chiefs were separately questioned on Wednesday
\nand Thursday following a boycott from Pertamina workers to load
\nfuel supplies which led to a power blackout in the capital, Banda
\nAceh as well as regencies, West Aceh and Pidie.<\/p>\n
"We are trying to figure out the real reasons behind their
\nreluctance to supply the fuel.<\/p>\n
"Initially, Pertamina officers said that there had been
\nthreats from the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels while
\nthe PLN officers said the blackout was due to old and inadequate
\npower generators... which is absurd as the generators were not
\nable to work due to the lack of fuel supplies," Kusbini said.<\/p>\n
None of Pertamina nor PLN officials in Aceh were willing to
\ngive a statement on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Sources, however, said that some officials in Pertamina were
\ntrying to pile up the fuel stock, waiting for the price to go up.<\/p>\n
"Basically Pertamina and PLN must be responsible as people
\nhave suffered due to the blackout. Such an incident could have
\nkilled patients in operating rooms," the officer said.<\/p>\n
Long lines of vehicles queuing for gasoline were still seen in
\nBanda Aceh and several parts of the city on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Military and police trucks were used to transport staple food
\ninto the capital of North Aceh, Lhokseumawe while in other
\nregencies the officers also escorted the convoy of fuel supplies.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in restive Pidie regency a member of Pekanbaru
\nMilitary District named First Sgt. Syahrul Sinaga was shot in the
\nback and chest while another civilian named Gunawan got shot in
\nboth legs around 3:15 p.m. local time at Simpang Pesantren Bambi
\nsubdistrict by two gunmen.<\/p>\n
Syahrul and Gunawan were rushed to Sigli General Hospital for
\nfurther treatment.<\/p>\n
"Syahrul and Gunawan were on motorbikes when the two gunmen
\nintercepted them," Kusbini said later in the day, adding that
\ndetails of the incident have not yet been recorded.<\/p>\n
In East Aceh, a police officer named Second Brig. Ibrahim was
\ngunned down in the Sungai Pauh near Kuala Langsa Port on Thursday
\nmorning, he added.<\/p>\n
"Ibrahim got shot twice in the chest and the head. He died
\ninstantly on the scene," the officer said.<\/p>\n
In Aceh Besar, a policeman named Second Brig. Satrya Puji was
\nfound dead with severe cut wounds to his head in front of a Kuta
\nAlam elementary school around 7 a.m. on Thursday.<\/p>\n
"The victim was assigned to Pidie Police Precinct and suddenly
\nhe turns up dead in Aceh Besar," Aceh Besar Police chief Adj. Sr.
\nComr. Sayed Husaini said later in the day. (edt\/50\/51)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-intensify-probe-into-aceh-blackouts-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}