Aceh to have 10 additional police precincts this year

P.C. Naommy, Jakarta

The National Police will establish 10 new precincts in the restive province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) to improve security following the imposition of a state of civil emergency.

"Currently, there are only 10 precincts for 20 municipalities and towns in Aceh. That's why we have already made preparations for 10 new precincts in the province," National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said in Jakarta on Wednesday.

He announced the plan after presiding over a ceremony at the National Police Headquarters for security preparations for the upcoming presidential election on July 5.

Da'i said that his office was recruiting personnel and developing infrastructure for the 10 precincts so as to realize full police capacity in Aceh.

"We won't withdraw our forces from Aceh, even though martial law has been replaced by a state of civil emergency," he added.

About 40,000 military and police troops were deployed to the troubled province after it was placed under martial law on May 19, 2003, to crush the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The government officially declared the commencement of the state of civil emergency on Saturday.

Da'i said the planned 10 new precincts were among 20 to be established by the National Police in Indonesia this year.

He said earlier the National Police still needed to build 120 more police stations across the country, but his office could afford to build only 20 new ones per year.

"So it will take about six years for the remainder (100) to come onstream," he added.

Da'i added that this year the National Police would prioritize the building of new police stations in border areas and regions hit by conflict.

More than Rp 20 billion (US$2.2 million) has been allocated to set up police posts at border areas in East Nusa Tenggara, West Kalimantan, North Sulawesi and Papua in 2004.