Security forces to guard state facilities in troubled Aceh<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): In anticipation of fresh bomb attacks,
\nthe police here have plans to deploy security personnel to
\nprotect government buildings, an officer said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Aceh Police chief Brig. Gen. Chaerul R. Rasyid said the
\nsecurity forces would help the local government resume public
\nservices, which have been crippled by the prolonged violence.<\/p>\n
\"Once government activities return to normal, we will withdraw
\nthe personnel,\" Chaerul told Antara.<\/p>\n
He said the decision was taken following a spate of attacks,
\nusing homemade bombs and grenades, by separatist rebels on
\ngovernment facilities over the past two years.<\/p>\n
The Aceh Human Rights Forum has revealed that since the start
\nof the extended Humanitarian Pause on Sept. 3 alone, the attacks
\nhave destroyed at least 14 government buildings.<\/p>\n
The latest armed attack took place on Tuesday as some 20
\nalleged separatist rebels raided and stole 16,000 packages of
\nexplosives from a warehouse belonging to oil and gas company
\nExxon Mobil in Mamplam village, Tanah Luas district, North Aceh
\nPolice chief Supt. Abadan Bangko said.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Indonesian representative on the Banda Aceh-
\nbased Joint Committee for Security Modalities, which monitors the
\nimplementation of the Humanitarian Pause, Sr. Supt. Ridwan Karim,
\ndenied allegations that Jakarta had launched military operations
\nto restore order in the troubled province.<\/p>\n
\"The Indonesian government has never conducted any military
\noperation in Aceh. The operation now underway is a routine one
\nand is being undertaken by the police to create a conducive
\natmosphere in the province,\" Ridwan told state television channel
\nTVRI on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He added that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels had accepted
\nthe police's responsibility of upholding the law.<\/p>\n
\"The police only carry out routine operations, which, unlike
\nwhat some people may perceive, are different from military ones,\"
\nRidwan said.<\/p>\n
When asked about the involvement of soldiers in such
\noperations, Ridwan said that that was not against the law.<\/p>\n
Separately, the GAM representative on the Joint Committee,
\nSofyan Ibrahim Tiba, described the police routine operations as
\n\"military operations conducted by the police\", as they always
\nentailed abductions and arson attacks on residents' houses.<\/p>\n
He said such operations violated the pause, which was
\noriginally aimed at finding a solution to the Aceh problem and
\ncreating peace and security so as to allow humanitarian aid to
\nreach the people who needed it.<\/p>\n
Sofyan added that the humanitarian pause agreed on by GAM and
\nthe Indonesian government set certain preconditions, including
\nthe termination of military operations and the removal of
\nroadblocks from several major highways, but that these had never
\nbeen fulfilled.<\/p>\n
The Commission on Missing Persons and Victims of Violence
\n(Kontras) also criticized the government for maintaining
\nrepressive measures during the Humanitarian Pause.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a media briefing in Jakarta on Monday, Kontras
\nchairman Munarman said the government had failed to make further
\nefforts to solve the problems in Aceh, including the holding of
\nnegotiations for a cease-fire.<\/p>\n
He said that a recent investigation conducted by Kontras in
\nthe province showed that during the first month of the second
\nphase of the pause, 109 people, mostly civilians, had been
\nkilled.<\/p>\n
The rights body suggested that an independent third party be
\ninvolved in supervising the implementation of the Humanitarian
\nPause, apart from the government and GAM. (50\/lup\/bby)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/security-forces-to-guard-state-facilities-in-troubled-aceh-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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