Passenger buses fear vandals

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: A local organization made up of privately- owned public transportation companies is asking that their passenger buses plying the Banda Aceh-Medan route in North Sumatra be given protection against groups of vandals often found along the route.

Spokesman M. Syukur was quoted by Antara as saying yesterday that the groups of hooligans have been attacking passenger buses for the past month. About 20 buses have been hit by stones, injuring at least 30 passengers.

"We have reported this problem to the local authorities, but there's been no response so far," Syukur said.

An average of 100 buses travel the route every day. (swe)