Aceh Police chief vows to end illegal levies
Aceh Police chief vows to end illegal levies
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Aceh Police chief Brig. Gen. Chaerul
Rasjid urged truck drivers plying Banda Aceh-Medan route to end
their strike and promised to take stern measures against officers
collecting illegal levies along the route.
"I hope all truck drivers will resume operations and I
guarantee that there will be no more illegal levies," Chaerul
said after meeting with provincial councillors and truck driver
representatives on Saturday.
"I've ordered all police precinct chiefs to ensure their men
stop collecting illegal fees. Stern action will be taken on
personnel who do not heed orders, including removal from the
police force," the general said.
Chaerul also revealed that most of the officers collecting
levies were Police Mobile Brigade stationed here from Jakarta.
"We will pull them out," he asserted.
Chairman of the Aceh's Organization of Land Transportation
Owners (Organda) Oesman Banta expressed his satisfaction over the
police's gesture and said drivers will resume work.
On Sunday, however, only a few trucks dared to ply the Banda
Aceh -- Medan route.
Certain police and military personnel were said to be
extorting fees from truck drivers passing the route in which a
driver may have to fork out as much as Rp 500,000 per trip as
there are dozens of posts in every regency in Aceh.
Due to the strike Acehnese have suffered shortages of staple
food and the prices of various food stuffs from mineral water to
vegetables have risen rapidly.
Meanwhile the trail of violence in Aceh on Saturday and Sunday
saw the death of at least six people.
In West Aceh, Sgt. Alhadi Sahid died on Sunday as a result of
severe gunshot wounds when he was ambushed by Free Aceh Movement
(GAM) rebels in Setia Bakti district late on Friday.
In North Aceh, an alleged rebel named Jaelani was shot dead on
Sunday around 10 a.m. by a passing military patrol in Rambot
village in Lhoksukon regency.
"He fled the scene and was shot during the chase," local
police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Wanto Sumardi said.
In East Aceh a man was shot in front of his house by unknown
gunmen in Tanoh Anoe village on Saturday.
Idi Rayeuk Police chief Second Insp. Agus Tami said on Sunday
that three other fatalities -- all employees of a palm-oil
plantation in Birem Bayeun district -- were killed by gunmen on
Saturday. (50/edt)