Residents kill soldiers in Aceh
Residents kill soldiers in Aceh
JAKARTA (JP): In what may be a fresh outbreak of conflict in
one of Indonesia's troubled provinces, the Armed Forces (ABRI)
reported on Tuesday that seven off-duty military personnel were
killed in an attack by about 200 residents of Lhok Nibung village
in East Aceh.
Military spokesman Maj. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif said in a
statement the mob, armed with machetes, attacked soldiers who
were on their way to the North Sumatra capital of Medan.
A number of soldiers managed to escape and then reported to a
nearby military post that their colleagues had been attacked and
killed.
The local military then deployed two platoons to search for
the bodies and the attackers. So far, the bodies have not been
recovered.
The statement also said the military deployed 100
reinforcement troops from the nearby military post on Tuesday
night while 200 more from Medan would be deployed on Wednesday.
The Armed Forces suspected that members of the separatist
movement in Indonesia's westernmost province were behind the
attack.
Meanwhile, the Central Sulawesi city of Poso continued on
Tuesday to be gripped by tension following a recent outbreak of
violence caused by a misunderstanding among local youths.
Security officers on Tuesday blocked all entrances into the
city which has been hit by the unrest since last Friday,
according to Central Sulawesi Police spokeswoman Maj. Ida
Kartati.
She was quoted by Antara as saying 200 police from the nearby
Donggala police district and 200 troops of the police elite
Mobile Brigade were deployed to contain the disturbances. In
addition, the local police had requested the reinforcement of 200
troops from 711 Raksatama infantry battalion in the Central
Sulawesi capital of Palu.
There was no official explanation as to what exactly had
caused the unrest which peaked on Monday when some 8,000 people
became involved in clashes.
Poso Regent Arief Patanga and the regency's secretary Yahya
Pattiro fled after the rioters pelted their homes with stones.
It was reported that 79 people were wounded, while at least 55
buildings, including houses, shops, discotheques, hotels, a high
school and a bus terminal, were badly damaged. In addition, seven
motorbikes and four cars were burned by the rioters.
In Lampung, tension was still felt on Tuesday in Sumberjaya
subdistrict, Liwa regency, a day after at least 1,500 people
attacked and set two police stations and a house on fire
following the reported deaths in custody of two detainees.
The two, identified as Sanin and Soleh, were part of a group
of five who had allegedly stolen money from coffee businessman
Saburi, Antara said.
Nine policemen and at least two villagers were injured in
Monday's clash. Officers fired warning shots to disperse stone-
throwing rioters.
A preliminary autopsy report indicated that Sanin committed
suicide. However, rumors spread that police had killed the
villager and residents took to the streets in protest. They were
also angry over the detention of another man, Karya, in the same
robbery case.
The rioters demanded the police release Karya and another
suspect, Armada.
The Liwa Police district freed both men on Monday evening, but
tension remained high on Tuesday especially in areas where crowds
blocked traffic.
In Medan, officials of the Medan Belawan subdistrict on Monday
agreed to close the Sicanang red light district for the duration
of the Ramadhan fasting month following a violent clash between
local people and preman (hoodlums) last Friday.
This decision, however, was not enough for some Muslim youths
who threatened to continue to attack the red-light district until
it was closed down permanently.
Some 5,000 people, including local Muslim leaders, youths,
women, and teenagers stormed the complex after Friday noontime
prayers last week and clashed with hoodlums who guarded it.
Several people were wounded and two food stalls were destroyed.
(imn/swe/byg)