Officers to take posts in Aceh

JAKARTA: Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said on Wednesday that several middle-rank military officers would be sent to Aceh next week to take district head posts.

Hari said the officials had undergone courses on state administration and would hold the posts in former strongholds of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) that are now controlled by the Indonesian Military (TNI).

The minister said Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh had asked the martial law administration to assign military officers as district heads in the conflict-torn province.

He added that there were about 13 districts in some regencies where local administrations could not resume activities due to the security condition. -- Antara