Prosecutor's office, schools burned in Aceh
<p>Prosecutor's office, schools burned in Aceh</p><p> JAKARTA (JP): The prosecutor's office in Meureudu district,
Pidie regency, Aceh, was set on fire by unidentified persons in
the early hours of Tuesday.</p><p>Earlier, dozens of buildings, including schools and
administration offices, were torched by unidentified persons.</p><p>Many people, particularly the military, believe members of the
Free Aceh separatist movement are responsible for the attacks.</p><p>According to Meureudu Police, the prosecutor's office was
burned about 1 a.m.</p><p>"No fatalities have been reported so far," an officer told
Antara.</p><p>The news agency also reported that a senior high school and an
elementary school in the nearby Lungputu and Geulumpang
districts, respectively, were burned early on Tuesday.</p><p>"Unlike many other buildings which have been burned, local
residents managed to put out the blazes quickly before the
buildings were completely destroyed," a witness said.</p><p>Administration offices in the districts of Samalanga and
Peudada in North Aceh were torched by unidentified people on
Sunday night and Monday morning, respectively.</p><p>Samalangan district chief Azhari said he believed the fires
were set by a group of armed people intending to disrupt Monday's
elections in the province.</p><p>"Nobody knows who did it because none of the residents were
willing to leave their houses when the fires were burning," he
said.</p><p>No fatalities were reported and material losses were estimated
to reach Rp 100 million (US$11,000).</p><p>On Sunday morning, another school in Pidie regency was torched
by an unidentified group, raising the number of schools burned in
the province to 25.</p><p>Pidie Police chief Lt. Col. Sirwandi Laut Tawar said state SMP
2 junior high school in the Pekan Pidie subdistrict was razed by
a fire at 8:15 a.m.</p><p>Witnesses said none of the nearby residents left their homes
to investigate the fire.</p><p>"We were afraid because there were blasts from the area and we
had no idea what the cause was," a resident said.</p><p>The tension in Aceh has escalated in the past few weeks ahead
of the general election.</p><p>Separately on Tuesday, public transportation services plying
Banda Aceh-Sigli-Bireuen and Banda Aceh-Meulaboh routes started
to resume normally again after operations stopped Friday when
four intercity buses were torched by an unknown group.</p><p>But many bus owners were still reluctant to operate their
fleet to full capacity.</p><p>Most ran only one or two vehicles to one destination.</p><p>"We're still afraid to operate our buses in a large number
because a number of clash-prone villages at several districts
will hold belated polls," Zulfan, one of the bus operators, said.</p><p>He said his company only operated one bus to serve passengers
heading from Banda Aceh to Meulaboh in West Aceh and another bus
from Banda Aceh to Sigili and Bireuen.</p><p>The limited number of buses serving the area on Tuesday was
also due to a lack of passengers, who apparently refused to make
trips during uncertain security. (bsr)</p>
Pidie regency, Aceh, was set on fire by unidentified persons in
the early hours of Tuesday.</p><p>Earlier, dozens of buildings, including schools and
administration offices, were torched by unidentified persons.</p><p>Many people, particularly the military, believe members of the
Free Aceh separatist movement are responsible for the attacks.</p><p>According to Meureudu Police, the prosecutor's office was
burned about 1 a.m.</p><p>"No fatalities have been reported so far," an officer told
Antara.</p><p>The news agency also reported that a senior high school and an
elementary school in the nearby Lungputu and Geulumpang
districts, respectively, were burned early on Tuesday.</p><p>"Unlike many other buildings which have been burned, local
residents managed to put out the blazes quickly before the
buildings were completely destroyed," a witness said.</p><p>Administration offices in the districts of Samalanga and
Peudada in North Aceh were torched by unidentified people on
Sunday night and Monday morning, respectively.</p><p>Samalangan district chief Azhari said he believed the fires
were set by a group of armed people intending to disrupt Monday's
elections in the province.</p><p>"Nobody knows who did it because none of the residents were
willing to leave their houses when the fires were burning," he
said.</p><p>No fatalities were reported and material losses were estimated
to reach Rp 100 million (US$11,000).</p><p>On Sunday morning, another school in Pidie regency was torched
by an unidentified group, raising the number of schools burned in
the province to 25.</p><p>Pidie Police chief Lt. Col. Sirwandi Laut Tawar said state SMP
2 junior high school in the Pekan Pidie subdistrict was razed by
a fire at 8:15 a.m.</p><p>Witnesses said none of the nearby residents left their homes
to investigate the fire.</p><p>"We were afraid because there were blasts from the area and we
had no idea what the cause was," a resident said.</p><p>The tension in Aceh has escalated in the past few weeks ahead
of the general election.</p><p>Separately on Tuesday, public transportation services plying
Banda Aceh-Sigli-Bireuen and Banda Aceh-Meulaboh routes started
to resume normally again after operations stopped Friday when
four intercity buses were torched by an unknown group.</p><p>But many bus owners were still reluctant to operate their
fleet to full capacity.</p><p>Most ran only one or two vehicles to one destination.</p><p>"We're still afraid to operate our buses in a large number
because a number of clash-prone villages at several districts
will hold belated polls," Zulfan, one of the bus operators, said.</p><p>He said his company only operated one bus to serve passengers
heading from Banda Aceh to Meulaboh in West Aceh and another bus
from Banda Aceh to Sigili and Bireuen.</p><p>The limited number of buses serving the area on Tuesday was
also due to a lack of passengers, who apparently refused to make
trips during uncertain security. (bsr)</p>