More deaths as Acehnese arrive for huge rally
More deaths as Acehnese arrive for huge rally
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): At least 11 people have been killed as
hundreds of thousands of people from five regencies across
strife-torn Aceh defied security cordons to arrive at the capital
for a planned assembly this weekend.
Security officials were quick on Thursday to blame the
violence on the enthusiastic crowd.
"The deaths resulted when the crowds forced their way to the
capital and gunmen among the masses fired at troops when we tried
to block them," Sr. Supt. Kusbini Imbar, spokesman for the Cinta
Meunasah police operation said on Thursday.
Local journalists, however, had a different account. They said
joint police and military forces had shot nine people to death on
Wednesday in various parts of the province, namely East Aceh,
North Aceh, Pidie, South Aceh and West Aceh.
Two more people, identified as Zulfahzi, 20, and Safruddan,
35, both Padang Tiji villagers, were found dead on Thursday with
gunshot wounds on a road linking Banda Aceh and Medan, three
kilometers east of Sigli, capital of Pidie.
"We're still investigating the case," Pidie Police chief Supt.
Heru Budi Ersanto said.
Banda Aceh will host a colossal rally called the Aceh Mass
Gathering for Peace (Sira-Rakan) on Saturday to commemorate the
first anniversary of a public call for referendum in the natural
resource-rich province. A mass prayer will precede the gathering
at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque.
Tengku Maad Muda, spokesman for the armed wing of the Free
Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels, condemned the killings and
denied any link to the massive influx of people to Banda Aceh.
"We are not involved in this (event) and none of our members
joined the parade brandishing guns. Those people are expressing
their wish. Why should we stop them?" he said.
Police denied accusations that security troops had opened fire
on unarmed villagers.
"We opened fire in self-defense. Besides, who should be
responsible if the mass mobilization to Banda Aceh turned into
chaos?" officer Kusbini said.
Shops, business centers and schools were crippled in several
towns, such as Sigli, one of GAM's strongholds.
Witnesses said thousands of people from Ule Glee in North
Aceh, and the Pidie districts of Meurudu, Bereunen and Grung-
Grung were camping in nearby villages after security forces
denied them access to Banda Aceh.
"At least 500 vehicles along the Pidie-Banda Aceh route have
been damaged by security troops in an attempt to block the
people," a local journalist said.
In Banda Aceh, at least 10,000 people have gathered in the
city, mostly congregating at Syiah Kuala University compound.
Rally chief organizer and coordinator of the Information
Center for Aceh Referendum (SIRA) Muhammad Nazar has called on
the people who had fail to reach Banda Aceh to stay and say their
prayers from where they are.
In Jakarta, Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and
Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said talks with GAM
would resume and will be held in Geneva on Nov. 16 and 17.
The government, which has ruled out independence for Aceh,
will put on the table at the Geneva meeting "a concrete proposal"
which will offer special autonomy and accelerated development for
Aceh, Susilo said. (51/edt)