Human skeletons found in separate graves in Aceh

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): A joint team of policemen and military personnel found eight human skeletons -- some dressed in military uniforms -- during search operations in Aceh Besar, North and West Aceh on Saturday, a military source said.

Lt. Col. Ferdinand, chief of Aceh Besar military district command, said that judging from the fact that the military uniforms belonged to the Indonesian military (TNI), the skeletons were likely the TNI members who were killed by the separatists (GBPK) at the end of last year.

All eight had probably been tortured to death, he said.

"Five skeletons were exhumed from three graves at a hilly area close to the Sultan Iskandarmuda airport in the Kuta Baro district, Aceh Besar, some 20 kilometers east of Banda Aceh," Ferdinand said.

Last month two skeletons, believed to be victims of the separatists, were also found in the area.

"One of the skeletons (found on Saturday) was identified as Chief Corporal Mustari, alias Aseng, who was kidnapped by the separatist movement members on Dec. 12 1999.

Another skeleton found in the village of Tanoh Mirah, North Aceh, was identified as Abed Beuransah, deputy speaker of North Aceh legislative council, North Aceh military district chief Lt. Col. Suyatno stated. "He was abducted by GBPK members on Sept. 29 of last year for his close ties to TNI."

Two other skeletons were found in the village of Lhok Seumot in the district of Beutong in West Aceh.

According to chief of operation code-named Operasi Sadar Rencong, Lt. Col. Satriya Hari Prasetya, the remains were exhumed from two separate graves.

"One of the skeletons was that of Raja Angkasah, a member of the Seunagan military subdistrict office. He was kidnapped by unidentified people in January of this year, while another skeleton was identified as being Ibnu Amin, a local civilian," the police officer said.

Military and police sources said that the search for missing persons -- including military, police officers and civilians -- would continue.

"There were 69 people -- 11 Army members, 15 policemen and 43 civilians reported missing in January of this year," Bahrumsyah said.

Also on Saturday, Sergeant Maj. Nanang Hanafiah of Pidie police subprecinct was shot and wounded in an ambush by a group of armed men around 10.30 a.m., local police chief Lt. Col. Endang Emiqail Bagus announced.

"The officer was on his way to the office from his home at Blang Paseh when a group of armed thugs shot him from behind and sped off on their motorcycles."

The scene of the incident was just 300 meters away from the police station. Nanang was rushed to Sigli General Hospital with a bullet wound in his back.

The incident caused a traffic jam along the Banda Aceh-Medan route as police officers conducted a sweep of the area hoping to apprehend the attackers, but to no avail.

Earlier on Friday morning around 5:30 a.m., a junior high school teacher named Edward M. Amin was abducted by an unknown armed group near his house at Baru Jaman subdistrict in Mutiara district, Pidie. (50/51/edt/sur)