3 researchers, one guide kidnapped in troubled Aceh

3 researchers, one guide kidnapped in troubled Aceh

JAKARTA (JP): Three employees of the Center for International
Forestry Research have been kidnapped while traveling in
southwestern Aceh, the Bogor-based center said on Thursday.

It said researchers, Budiawan Dwi Prasetyo, 34, Atim Gumelar,
24, Hardian, 23, and their guide, Idrusman, 48, were abducted
last Saturday during the journey to the North Sumatra capital of
Medan.

"They were stopped at a roadblock at Ujung Batu village by
unknown individuals," the center said in a statement.

It said the police were informed of the incident by the team's
driver, Supardi, 43, who escaped.

"They were taken to a house and then transported with their
hands bound in a vehicle to an airstrip," it said.

The center said the police found no trace of the researchers
except for the gutted wreckage of their vehicle. Supardi
continues to be detained while the investigation continues.

The researchers were conducting a month-long field survey of
the province's ecosystem.

Meanwhile, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of
Violence (Kontras) said that at least three people were killed
and hundreds more injured after security personnel opened fire to
disperse protesters in front of a police station in South Aceh
last Saturday.

Kontras coordinator Munir told a news conference that the
protesters demanded the release of T. Raja Faisal, 27, who was
arrested during a weapon search operation a day earlier.

"Faisal was arrested because he was found to be carrying a
small rencong (a traditional dagger)," Munir said adding that the
search followed the murder of a police officer on Sept. 8.

Aceh has been plagued by clashes between the military and
separatist rebels. More than 250 people have been killed since
May and thousands of people are seeking shelter in mosques,
schools and government buildings due to fears of further unrest.

Hundreds of buildings, including schools, have been set ablaze
by unidentified groups of men across Aceh since May.

Antara reported on Friday that presidential hopeful and leader
of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle Megawati
Soekarnoputri donated 8,000 packs of instant noodles and milk
through a local organization to thousands of refugees in Pidie
and North Aceh.

Pidie, North Aceh and East Aceh are the three regencies which
were worst affected by the military's antirebel operations from
1989 to 1998.

In Jakarta on Thursday, a charity night for the refugees in
Aceh and another strife-torn province Maluku collected some Rp
365 million.

Among those present were Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung,
his National Mandate Party counterpart Amien Rais, Hamzah Haz of
the United Development Party and Abdurrahman Wahid and Matori
Abdul Djalil of the National Awakening Party. (33/byg)