Red Cross worker killed in Aceh
Ibnu Mat Noor, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh
An employee with the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) in the regency of Bireun, Aceh, Jafar Syehdo, 57, was found dead -- with gunshot wounds to his head and body -- on a road in the village of Glumpang Payong, Jeumpa district in Bireun on Wednesday night, a Red Cross official confirmed on Thursday.
The secretary of the Indonesian Red Cross office in Bireun, Ali Ahmad, said that the dead body of a vegetable trader identified as Sayid Mursid, 36, was also found some 100 meters away from Jafar's body. Sayid was known to be a friend of Jafar's.
"Both the dead bodies were transported to the Dr. Fauziah Hospital in Bireun," Ali said.
Sources at PMI Bireun said that Jafar was last seen on the way home in Bireun at 9 p.m. on Wednesday not long before the office was informed that two dead bodies of the men were found in Glumpang Payong. His PMI colleagues did not realize at that time that one of the dead men was Jafar.
The killing of the Red Cross employee came as a blow to all humanitarian workers in Bireun. "If a Red Cross worker can be murdered, what could happen to common people," lamented one of Jafar's colleagues.
Meanwhile, a member of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) Mawardi, 21, was shot dead in a raid on a house by Army troops in Alue Bili village in Baktya district, North Aceh, on Wednesday.
Military spokesman in Aceh Lt. Col. Firdaus claims that Mawardi and some other GAM members stopped a bus on the Aceh- Medan highway, but were frightened away when they saw an army patrol.
"They (suspected GAM members) dispersed upon seeing the military patrol. Mawardi entered a nearby resident's house, and began shooting at the military when ordered to surrender. He was shot in the incident and an FN Beretta pistol was seized from him," said Firdaus.
Meanwhile, recently many activists and aid workers, especially human rights activists, have found it increasingly risky to work in the troubled province and many fear for their lives.
"Many discussions on human rights have been held outside Aceh," said Maimul Fidar, coordinator of the Coalition of Non- Governmental Organizations in Aceh.
He urged the government troops and GAM to find a way to stop the violence and promote talks to end the war, citing the recent telephone discussion between a GAM spokesman in East Aceh, Ishak Daud with the Lhokseumawe military officers.
"We are happy with such open discussions. Hopefully, more telephone communication can be made for the sake of peace."