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)