Killing spree continues in troubled Aceh province

Killing spree continues in troubled Aceh province

JAKARTA (JP): Tensions in Aceh remain as three more civilians
were shot during military and police operations against the Free
Aceh Movement (GAM) in East Aceh and Aceh Besar on Monday, a
volunteer said on Tuesday.

Muhammad Yusuf Puteh, chairman of the Aceh Human Rights Care
Forum said that Zulkifli bin Hasan (20) and Ismail bin Ibrahim
(30) were shot dead by dozens of military and police troops who
raided the village of Buket Kuta Alam Kumba, in Ranto Selamat
district, East Aceh, at 11 a.m. local time on Monday.

The head of Buket Kuta Alam Kuma village, Muhammad Hasan, told
the Forum in East Aceh that three trucks loaded with Police
Mobile Brigade and military personnel were combing the village at
10 a.m. Several villagers, who thought that the troops would
apprehend them, tried to escape. "Suddenly the officers shot the
people running away."

In Aceh Besar, a 37-year-old resident named Affan bin Daud was
shot by a plain-clothed anti-bomb squad officer, who was in a
private vehicle in the Beurangong village, Kuta Baro district on
Monday evening.

"The victim was running in his effort to avoid the plain-
clothed police officers, when he was shot," said Teungku Abang, a
local.

Like previous shootings, police said that the three were all
GAM members, while GAM accused the military and police of
violating the truce by continuing to kill civilians.

Col. Kusbini Imbar, Aceh Police spokesman, said in Banda Aceh
that the three were GAM rebels who were shot for trying to
intercept the military and police while conducting a routine
operation.

GAM spokesman Amri bin Abdul Wahab stated that he deeply
regretted the incident, saying that the Indonesian troop
commanders had failed to restrain their men from shooting
civilians.

Amri was one of the GAM representatives at the signing of the
pact with Indonesia brokered by the Henry Dunant center in Banda
Aceh on Saturday.

"We had reported to their chief Col. Suyitno about the three
trucks of troops combing the Buket Kuta Alam Kumba village. I had
asked Col. Suyitno to withdraw their men, but still the troops
shot the people. If the Indonesian military and police keep
conducting such operations, we will defend our people whom they
continue killing," said Amri.

GAM Commander Tengku Abdullah Syafiie had earlier ordered his
troops to comply with the new pact signed on Saturday with the
Indonesian government. "Both GAM and the Indonesian security
forces must restrain themselves and respect the pact."

Another incident was also reported from Kuala Idi village in
East Timur when two civilians were tortured by Indonesian troops.
"One of them had to be hospitalized for an injured eye," Yusuf
Puteh said.

In North Aceh, a gun fight took place between Indonesian
troops and GAM rebels in Matang Rawa village. North Aceh Police
chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Wanto Sumardi said that the incident took
place after GAM members intercepted the entourage of North Aceh
Military Command chief Lt. Col. Suyatno. (50/sur)