Aceh military commander replaced

JAKARTA (JP): The military commander overseeing security in Aceh's troubled regencies of Pidie, North Aceh and East Aceh was replaced on Wednesday.

Riot troop commander Col. Ridwan Karim told The Jakarta Post by phone from the North Aceh capital of Lhokseumawe on Thursday that Col. Johnny Wahab was replaced as Lilawangsa military commander by Col. Syafnil Armen in an official ceremony.

"Johnny has been transferred to Army Headquarters in Jakarta," Ridwan said.

Ridwan, who led about 1,200 troops deployed to Aceh in May to safeguard the general election, refused to elaborate.

Local papers said earlier this month that Syafnil was the former head of the Army's Intelligence Training Center in Bogor, West Java.

Violence has been on the rise in the three regencies since May. More than 70 people, including police and military personnel, have been killed in clashes between the military and alleged separatists from the Free Aceh Movement.

North Aceh, East Aceh and Pidie were the worst affected by a decade of antirebel operations during which the military was accused of widespread human rights abuses.

On early Wednesday, one man was killed and two more injured after a group of armed people ambushed a car near Kandang intersection, about two kilometers east of Lhokseumawe.

Mulya A. Hasjmy, head of the Lhokseumawe General Hospital, said on Thursday that Abubakar Abdullah, 38, died of a fatal gunshot wound to the head, while Abubakar Bahrumsyah, 45 and Mohamad bin Hasan, 43, were hospitalized.

"Bahrumsyah was hit in his left elbow and Mohamad was hit in his left knee." He added that Mohamad underwent surgery on Thursday.

Mulya said the three were on their way to the North Sumatra capital of Medan from Sigli, about 150 kilometers east of Lhokseumawe, when their car was attacked.

"They are all traders and they were going to shop in Medan," Mulya said. Kandang is considered a separatist stronghold in North Aceh.

Ridwan said that at least one platoon of riot troops has been deployed to the area following the attack.

Calls for a referendum on self-determination and an election boycott were the strongest in North Aceh, East Aceh and Pidie.

Separatists were accused by the military of intimidating the residents into boycotting the elections. They also were said to have terrorized migrant settlers into leaving their villages.

Thousands of Acehnese also fled to school buildings and mosques in Pidie, North Aceh and East Aceh due to fears arising from the heavy military presence in their villages.

Separately from Medan, North Sumatra it was reported that the attacks on four intercity buses near the border of North Aceh and Pidie early this month still haunted bus owners in Medan and Aceh.

Until Thursday, bus owners only operated few of their fleets plying the Banda Aceh - Medan route because they were still unsure of the security situation along the 600 kilometers.

"CV Kurnia bus is only operating four buses per day, while we had earlier operated 12 buses daily," Siti Zubaidah, a staff of the transportation company said.

Siti said the number of passengers had sharply dropped especially for afternoon schedules.

Another company, PT Pelangi, said the company only operates at the most six buses per day because drivers refuse to work at night.

"Many passengers just booked tickets but then canceled their trips," Danil, an employee, said.(byg/39/prb)