Security on the alert for Habibie's visit<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Military troops stepped up security
\nmeasures on the eve of President B.J. Habibie's planned arrival
\nhere as thousands of students staged protests on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Security personnel blockaded major streets in the city center,
\nincreased security at Iskandar Muda Airport and cleared the
\nBaiturrahman Mosque, where Habibie is scheduled to attend a
\nFriday prayer.<\/p>\n
About 2,000 students rallied at the provincial legislature to
\ndemand a referendum in the province. They threatened to disrupt
\nHabibie's meeting with locals at the Baiturrahman Mosque if the
\nPresident fails to come up with concrete ideas to solve problems
\nin Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"We insist that a referendum is the fairest and most just way
\nto gauge people's aspirations here. It will solve problems we
\nhave been suffering from for years,\" said Roys Pahlevi, who
\nrepresented students from 17 local universities.<\/p>\n
Minister\/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung said in Jakarta that
\nHabibie planned to announce a message to the restive province
\nduring his one-day visit and hinted he may apologize for past
\nabuses.<\/p>\n
In a statement read by Roys, the students also rejected a
\nproposal by province leaders to revive the military command,
\nsaying it would justify the Armed Forces' (ABRI) security
\napproach to quell proindependence movements here.<\/p>\n
ABRI lifted Aceh's status as a military operation zone last
\nyear, which fueled demands for independence.<\/p>\n
The students chanted heroic verses from the Perang Sabil
\n(religious wars), which according to the students were composed
\nshortly before the Acehnese declared a war against the Dutch in
\nthe 19th century.<\/p>\n
\"Let's fight our Prophet's enemies,\" they sang. Some of the
\nstudents shed tears.<\/p>\n
They chanted holy verses from the Shalawat Nabi (Praises to
\nProphet Muhammad) as a riot police truck passed the legislature
\ncompound. The rally passed without incident and was observed by
\n10 policemen.<\/p>\n
As of Thursday evening, some 500 students were camped in the
\nlegislature compound, saying they would march to the Baiturrahman
\nMosque early Friday.<\/p>\n
Another rally was staged by dozens of students grouped in the
\nStudent Forum in Support of Referendum in Aceh in Medan, North
\nSumatra, on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\"Aceh needs a referendum, not Habibie to visit\", \"Aceh is not
\na recreation site for Habibie\", read two of their banners.<\/p>\n
In Lhoksemauwe, Aceh military commander Col. Johny Wahab
\nexpressed guarded optimism on Thursday that the Armed Forces
\nwould capture separatist movement leader Ahmad Kandang following
\nthe arrest of Sulaiman, who claimed to organize loyalists of
\nrebel figure Hasan Tiro.<\/p>\n
\"Ahmad Kandang must be captured sooner or later. We believe
\nhe's still in North Aceh,\" Johny said.<\/p>\n
A local reporter said that almost one battalion of troops had
\nbeen deployed to capture Ahmad. A battalion comprises around
\n1,000 personnel.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, the body of Lt. Col. Edianto was buried in a
\nmilitary funeral at Kalibata Heroes cemetery in South Jakarta on
\nThursday. Marine Corps Commander Maj. Gen. Suharto presided over
\nthe ceremony.<\/p>\n
Edianto, was abducted in December last year and killed by
\nSulaiman's group, had his military ranking posthumously promoted
\nby one grade. (prb\/21)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/security-on-the-alert-for-habibies-visit-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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