Calm returns to Aceh

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): The disputed province was relatively calm over the weekend, giving a morale boost to the humanitarian pause between the government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels that took effect on Friday.

Minor incidents, however, occurred late on Saturday when a teenager was shot in an apparent robbery attempt on his motorcycle on the downtown street of Jl. P. Nyak Makam.

Local police chief Lt. Col. Sayed Husaini said that the boy, identified as Edi Syahputra, suffered a wound to his abdomen. He managed, however, to regain his composure and sped on his motorbike to Zainul Abidin Hospital. His girlfriend was with him during the incident.

Representatives of the Indonesian government and GAM said in their joint statement marking the implementation of the humanitarian pause that both sides would move to restore peace and order.

Meanwhile, at Malahayati Port, a total of 117 soldiers of the Balau Infantry Battalion from Palembang, South Sumatra, aboard the KRI Teluk Tomini warship arrived on Saturday to replace troops who had been in service here for the past few months.

"The military personnel will be posted in Banda Aceh and several other violence-prone areas," Sayed said. (50/edt)