Policeman stabbed to death, another wounded in Aceh
Policeman stabbed to death, another wounded in Aceh
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): An unidentified man stabbed two on-duty
policemen in a stall in Peureulak subdistrict in East Aceh on
Tuesday, killing one of them.
Eyewitnesses said that Bayu and Tri Sutomo, both enlisted
personnel, were shopping at the stall when a tall and light-
skinned man stabbed them in the back. The dagger pierced Bayu's
stomach and he died instantly.
"People ran in a panic upon seeing the incident. The attacker
ran toward the nearby police dormitory and disappeared," Nurmi M.
Ali, one of the witnesses, said.
Nurmi, who is also coordinator for student volunteers for Aceh
refugees, confirmed that the hefty attacker also stole the
officers' long rifles.
No one had the courage to take the victims to the hospital. A
group of policemen and Army members later arrived at the scene
and started to spray bullets in a shooting spree which lasted
more than three hours.
"Forty cars were damaged and one resident was seriously
wounded by gunshot," she said.
The police and military personnel, who looked angry after the
death of their friend, then rushed to a nearby refugee camp and
ordered all the men to come outside. They then reportedly
tortured them.
"Five of the volunteer workers are in critical condition at
Langsa Hospital," Nurmi said. The five were identified as Syakya,
25, Nabawi, 24, Sulaiman, 20, Yusli, 25, and Mastur Yahya, 25.
Aceh Police spokesman Maj. Said Husaini confirmed the killing
of the policeman, but said he had yet to receive a detailed
report on the murder.
Nurmi speculated that the attacker was a provocateur, judging
from the fact that he gave out leaflets urging local youths to
join a referendum rally.
She also said the dagger carried by the killer was not a
rencong (Aceh traditional dagger). She added that she had kept
the dagger's sheath.
However, life in most sections of Aceh's capital Banda Aceh
returned to normal on Tuesday following Saturday's celebration of
23rd-anniversary of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM),
Antara reported.
It was business as usual at the government and private offices
here, with 80 percent of the employees back at work.
Home-makers began to swarm traditional markets and shopping
malls to buy food for the fasting month which starts on Thursday.
Many of the residents in this predominantly Muslim province
began to clean mosques, set up street banners and billboards
bearing Muslim's attributes as they brace for the fasting month
of Ramadhan. (50/sur)