Acehnese flee homes due to military raids

Acehnese flee homes due to military raids

SIGLI, East Aceh (JP): About 1,000 residents from three
villages in Pidie regency fled their homes on Saturday following
interrogations by military who said they were seeking a
colleague.

Pidie military commander Lt. Col. Iskandar MS said the units
withdrew from villages in Geulupang Tiga district, but he could
not identify them.

Pidie police chief Lt.Col. Sirwandhi Laut Tawar only said the
soldiers conducting the search were not among the riot troops
sent from Jakarta.

Members said they were searching for Second Sergeant Adnan
Mahmud of the intelligence unit of the Lilawangsa command, who
was missing for two days.

Secretary of the Cot Baroh village, Umur Yusuf, said residents
chose to seek shelter at the district office "rather than lose
their lives".

Umar cited three residents' reports that their homes were
raided. Umar said he also told the military that residents had no
idea where the missing soldier was.

Lilawangsa Commander Col. Johnny Wahab confirmed the search
but denied that the military was rough on residents to The
Jakarta Post.

Areas of Meulaboh in West Aceh and Tapak Tuan in South Aceh
were still tense following a burning of a number of district
offices, a military command and school buildings by unknown
people on Thursday.

Chief of the local Teungku Umar command Col. Syarifuddin Tipe
identified a number of potentially restless areas in both
regencies, citing unemployment as a cause. A lack of jobs
rendered residents vulnerable to "contamination" by provocateurs
and the Free Aceh Movement, he said. (46)