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)