Truce accords have little effect in Aceh<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Truce accords implemented in Aceh have
\nhad little effect in stopping the violence as 11 people were
\nfound dead in separate places in disputed Aceh province on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
Five of the bodies were discovered by residents at two
\ndifferent locations near Lhokseumawe, the district capital of
\nNorth Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"Three bodies were found near a hotel at Sawang Kupula village
\nwith gunshot wounds while two others were evacuated from
\nPeusangan district,\" Teuku Junaidi, an Indonesian Red Cross (PMI)
\nworker, said.<\/p>\n
The five bodies were evacuated to Lhokseumawe General Hospital
\nwhere a preliminary examination showed that they had been killed
\nwithin 24 hours.<\/p>\n
Representatives of the warring sides met in Banda Aceh and
\nagreed last week to a five-point set of ground rules in a move to
\nsuppress violence, including regular popular consultation between
\nthe field commanders of both security forces and the Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM).<\/p>\n
Two other bodies were found on a hillside at Gunung Paro, some
\n30 kilometers away from the provincial capital of Banda Aceh in
\nAceh Besar.<\/p>\n
\"These bodies, however, had already decomposed,\" Muslim
\nTanjung, also a PMI worker, said.<\/p>\n
Villagers called in hospital officials who removed them to a
\nmorgue at Zainoel Abidin Hospital here.<\/p>\n
Three other bodies were found in East Aceh on Sunday and
\nevacuated on Monday. The three, identified as M. Saleh, 50, his
\nwife Mimi, and another man named Yusdar Ibrahim were all
\nvillagers of Alur Gading in East Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"The couple (Saleh and Mimi) were gunned down at their house
\non Sunday, while Yusdar's remains were located at the side of the
\nstreet,\" an eyewitness said.<\/p>\n
The 11th dead victim, a GAM rebel named Hamdani, 22, was
\nkilled in an incident around 12 p.m. on Monday at Simpang Usi
\nvillage in Mutiara district, Pidie regency.<\/p>\n
The Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel were patrolling
\nthe village when suddenly they came across Hamdani, who is a
\nknown rebel.<\/p>\n
In Bireun, Batee Timoh village, a joint military-police
\noperation arrested 26 people following a raid in the area which
\nleft several houses ablaze.<\/p>\n
\"The 26 people were just being questioned to explain about GAM
\nactivities in the area since their village has been used from
\ntime to time as a rebel base,\" North Aceh Police Adj. Sr. Comr.
\nWanto Sumardi said on Monday.<\/p>\n
GAM's Abu Zarkata, however, accused the security forces of
\nransacking 25 boats, seven motorbikes and burning peoples' homes.<\/p>\n
\"I call all local leaders to stop the violence as we will
\nnever stop fighting if the security forces continue to hurt
\npeople,\" Abu said.<\/p>\n
Officer Wanto, however, dismissed the allegations and said
\nthat \"there were no reports of such items being seized by the
\npolice\".<\/p>\n
Director of Yadesa non-government organization and member of
\nthe humanitarian pause monitoring team Abdul Gani Nurdin said the
\nrebels became aggressive due to Jakarta's statement recently
\nissued by Minister of Defense Mahfud M.D. that \"the government
\nwill take stern measures against the separatist movement in
\nAceh\".<\/p>\n
\"Mahfud's statement has pushed the rebels to become more
\naggressive toward the security forces as they have their backs to
\nthe wall.<\/p>\n
\"If Jakarta really wants to settle Aceh problem peacefully..
\nhe (Mahfud) shouldn't issue such remarks as it will worsen the
\nsituation and many more will die.\" (edt\/50\/51)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/truce-accords-have-little-effect-in-aceh-1447893297",
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