Riot troops sent to boost voter turnout in Aceh

Riot troops sent to boost voter turnout in Aceh

JAKARTA (JP): A battalion of riot troops sent to Aceh are
expected to jack up the voter turnout ahead of the June 7
elections, the Indonesian Military (TNI) said.

A release made available to The Jakarta Post on Friday said
that the troops, posted in three troubled regencies of North
Aceh, East Aceh and Pidie, would protect people from separatist
rebels who have reportedly threatened them against registering
for the polls.

"There have been uncommon moves to hamper people from
registering themselves with polling committees," the release
quoted commander of the troops Col. Ridwan.

State television TVRI said in its evening news that only 13
percent of eligible voters signed up for the elections.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has extended the voter
registration period in Aceh, Maluku and East Timor to May 15, but
there were demands that KPU give people in the volatile areas
more time before the election day to enroll themselves.

National Police Chief Gen. Roesmanhadi visited Lhokseumawe on
Friday and met with the troops, who comprised of police and
soldiers of the four TNI forces.

A local correspondent quoted National Police spokesman Brig.
Gen. Togar Sianipar, who accompanied Roesmanhadi, as saying that
the riot troops would go door to door "to ask them whether they
were facing pressures not to vote".

"But we need cooperation with local community leaders and
people to make the general election a success," he said.

Roesmanhadi said the police were ready to dispatch two more
battalions to reinforce the security.

Antara reported that the voter registration in the three
regencies were sluggish and a low turnout was expected.

TNI Commander Gen. Wiranto however said earlier this week that
the elections would go ahead as scheduled there despite the
possible low turnout.

Special team

In addition to the riot troops, a special team of 34 military
or police officers who are either natives of Aceh or have served
there were sent to Aceh following the May 3 violence in Krueng
Geukueh village near Lhokseumawe. At least 41 civilians and a
police officer were killed and more than 100 injured in the clash
which involved the military and demonstrators.

The team, led by TNI secretary-general Lt. Gen. Fachrul Razi,
met with local community leaders on Friday to assess security
conditions ahead of the June 7 elections.

Lilawangsa Regional Military Commander Col. Johnny Wahab told
The Jakarta Post by phone from the North Aceh capital of
Lhokseumawe that the team was divided into a number of smaller
units.

"Today, they go to some villages in North Aceh, Pidie and East
Aceh regencies to meet local community and religious leaders,"
Johnny, who oversees security in the three regencies, said.

Military said that recommendations from the team which began a
10-day survey on Wednesday will be taken into account in the
formulation of defense and security policies to be applied in the
province.

Resentment against central authorities, especially against the
military, has mounted over the past decades in the province.

Antirebel military operations, during which soldiers were
accused of unchecked human rights violations, and Jakarta's lack
of attention to people in the gas-rich province, have fueled the
animosity.

The 10-year military operation was lifted last year but
incidents of violence still continued.

Aceh is home to the Free Aceh movement which has been fighting
for a separate state since the mid 1970s.

People in the province have also seen mounting demand for a
referendum of self-determination which has been largely ignored
by the government of President B J. Habibie.

Dozens of migrant settlers have fled their homes in the South
Aceh town of Trumon following threats from a group of
unidentified people, Antara reported.

The news agency quoted South Aceh deputy police chief Maj. Edi
Rianto Subrata as saying on Thursday that the settlers in the
town, some 34 kilometers southeast of the South Aceh capital of
Tapaktuan, were also forced to sell their belongings at low
prices to the alleged perpetrators.

Edi however said that the police were still unable to
determine their motive.

He said that at least four people were arrested and are still
under police questioning. (byg)