Rebel attacks still widespread in Aceh, says police chief

Rebel attacks still widespread in Aceh, says police chief

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Outgoing Aceh Police chief Brig. Gen.
Bachrumsyah Kasman warned of dangerous security disturbances here
despite the humanitarian pause that came into effect on June 2.

Bachrumsyah said that although the number of disturbances had
decreased following the peace agreement between Jakarta and Free
Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels, more security personnel had been
killed in attacks then before.

"There are certain parties trying to benefit from the relaxed
situation during the pause by ambushing security personnel," he
said on the sidelines of a ceremony on Saturday marking the
induction of Aceh Police deputy chief Lt. Col. Teuku Asikin.

At least 400 people have been killed in the province this
year, mostly in armed clashes between separatist rebels and
security forces.

On Thursday a policeman was stabbed to death when drinking
coffee in a kiosk in Darussalam district.

Bachrumsyah told his personnel to stay alert during the
humanitarian pause.

"The facts show that although GAM seems to support the Geneva
understanding on security here, it is also maintaining its
intimidation of the people," said Bachrumsyah, who has been named
the new East Kalimantan Police chief.

"We also support the humanitarian pause but we have to stay
alert," he added.

He explained that the ongoing Cinta Meunasah police operation,
a continuation of Operation Sadar Rencong, was not aimed at
killing people but at maintaining security and order.

"The police are obliged to protect people, but, maybe in doing
so, they are forced to eliminate other groups," he added.

Meanwhile in Banda Aceh a group of students held a protest in
front of Kuala Tripa Hotel. The hotel is being used as the
secretariat of the Joint Security Committee, which was set up
after the accord signed by the government and GAM representatives
to establish the humanitarian pause.

The students were expressing their dissatisfaction that
violence was continuing despite the fact that the accord
officially took effect on June 2.

Committee members Col. Ridwan Karim of the government and
Nashiruddin bin Ahmad of GAM said later on Saturday that the team
couldn't stop the violence in Aceh.

"We are only authorized to record the violations and incidents
and later report them to the joint board in Geneva," Ridwan said.

Reports of violence continued over the weekend.

A 65-year-old woman named Teungku Ajibon was hit by a bullet
on Saturday when security forces clashed with a group of some 30
armed men who were stopping and searching vehicles for weapons on
the Jeuram-Ulee Jalan main road in West Aceh.

"The incident was prompted by an illicit sweeping operation
conducted by members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). They were
inspecting vehicles passing along the road," Hamdani, 35, a local
from Keude Linteung, claimed.

Later in the afternoon security forces arrived at the scene to
disperse the gunmen and an armed battle ensued.

Ajibon, a widow from Keude Linteng village, was hit in the
thigh by a bullet. She was rushed to hospital.

In a separate incident, an explosion on Saturday at a plant
belonging to PT Humpuss in Rancong Batupahat, North Aceh, damaged
a kerosene pipeline, North Aceh Police chief Lt. Col. Syafei
Aksal said.

"The explosion resulted in a leak in the pipeline but no
casualties were reported," Syafei said. (50/edt/bby)