Over 55,000 refugees flee violence in Aceh
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Over 55,000 refugees are temporarily sheltered in makeshift tents across five regencies in Aceh following unceasing conflicts involving security forces, separatists rebels and armed gangs in the province.
The number of refugees who have sought refuge at Point-A area of the Exxon-Oil airport compound in Tanah Luas in North Aceh reached an estimated 20,000 people on Tuesday.
Most came from neighboring villages in North Aceh regency bringing everything they could -- from personal belongings to cattle.
"Every time members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) attack the security forces, massive sweeping operations by security forces follow and many locals end up being the victims," Arsyad, a local from Tanah Luas, claimed.
"We are terrified because gunfights can erupt at any time and we are trapped in them," he said.
North Aceh Police Chief Supt. Syafei Aksal and North Aceh Military chief Lt. Col. Suyatno who visited the refugees at the Exxon-Oil compound on Monday, however, said the recent massive exodus of refugees is related to rebel propaganda in various villages.
"We have received reports that some GAM (Free Aceh Movement) rebels have spread rumors of terror and extorted money from the villagers. This can be part of GAM strategy by using the refugees as their shields," Syafei said.
Data collected from non-government organization posts in refugee shelters as well as the local administration revealed that there are over 25,000 refugees in South Aceh.
"From a total of 25,148 refugees in South Aceh, 3,760 are sick and need immediate assistance," South Aceh Student Association (Hammas) coordinator Darwi said on Tuesday.
Members of the Joint Committee on Security Modalities, government representative Col. Ridwan Karim and GAM's Tengku Nasiruddin bin Ahmad visited the refugees in South Aceh to persuade them to go home. "If you stay here, it will only add to your misery," Ridwan said on Tuesday.
Reportedly, some were being transported back on military trucks Monday night.
Meanwhile around 12,000 refugees are still in the Bagok district town of East Aceh, with around 10,000 more in Ujong Batee of Aceh Besar.
Some 8,000 people also sought refuge in the transmigration office in Banda Aceh capital and Cot Ijue in Bireun regency.
In another related development, violence continued to rock Aceh as gunmen attacked a subdistrict military post in Peuleukum village in Teunagan, 45 kilometers southeast of Meulaboh, West Aceh, with a rocket grenade late on Monday, injuring five soldiers.
"The security forces did not launch a counter attack because the area is near a crowded village and the civilians might have been hurt. The attackers used people as a buffer," Supt. Satrya Hari Prasetya of West Aceh Police said on Tuesday. (50/edt)