Aid agency halts work after attack on office
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan
An international aid agency helping tsunami victims in Aceh has temporarily shut down operations after a group of youths ransacked its Medan office on Wednesday because they had not won an aid contract.
None of the staff from the International Organization for Migration were seen working in the office, while a security guard, Dedi Agus Saputra, reported that the office would resume operations the coming Monday.
No staff were available for comment on Thursday.
IOM Medan had temporarily stopped sending food and medicine aid to tsunami victims in Aceh because workers feared more attacks on the office, Dedi said.
In anticipation of more violence, police sent officers to guard the office.
Medan Police chief of detectives First. Insp. Taufik said police would do their best to secure the IOM premises. Officers had already arrested a 46-year-old man only identified by his initials, "MDN", who was believed to have led the attack. Police were tracking down five other suspects believed to be part of the gang, Taufik said.
Taufik said "MDN" and the five were witnessed entering the IOM office, smashing chairs, desks, computers and TV sets and causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.
The group were apparently acting in retaliation after a bid for a project linked to Aceh tsunami victims was turned down by the NGO.
The group had proposed to the NGO they be given a contract to channel food, medicine and clothing to tsunami victims in Aceh.
Dedi, the key witness, said the attack began when the group entered the office in the morning asking to meet an IOM employee.
Failing to meet the employee, a few hours later they returned at the IOM office. After talking with IOM employees about their proposal and being informed it had been denied, the group smashed up the office.
An IOM executive, Jose Al Manashe, a Filipino, called the police but the perpetrators had already fled the scene before the police arrived.
The attack on a foreign aid agency is the first in the city, which has become the regional hub for aid distribution to Aceh.