Series of unrest returns to troubled Aceh

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Fresh blood was shed in Aceh marring the return to calm since a three-month truce in the disputed province took effect last week.

A civilian, Muhammad Daud, 48, died while receiving medical treatment on gunshot wounds at Lilawangsa Military Hospital in North Aceh's main city of Lhokseumawe on Tuesday. Local residents said Daud was shot by troops in a routine operation in Blang Carok village in Nisam district.

"He (Daud) was fishing near the pond when he saw the patrolling troops. When he tried to avoid them, he was shot," one of the residents said.

The incident comes less than 24 hours after soldiers fired at a 30-year-old man, identified only as MA, when he resisted arrest in Samalanga district, also in North Aceh.

Spokesman for North Aceh Police Capt. Ahmad Mustafa Kamal said on Wednesday MA and his friend, SA, 35, were apprehended after one of the military personnel, First Sgt. Saifuddin, recognized MA as the man who shot him about three months ago.

"The soldiers quickly picked them up but MA tried to escape. He was shot and died later at Lilawangsa Military Hospital," Ahmad said.

Also on Tuesday an armed skirmish broke out between military soldiers and unknown gunmen in Paloh Punti village in Muara Dua district, 10 kilometers from Lhokseumawe. No casualties were reported in the clash.

The list of violence was extended with a report from the Human Rights Care Front on Wednesday that Zainuddin Sulaiman, 41, and Muhamad Isa, 38, locals from East Aceh, were assaulted at their house in Seunebok Rambong village by a group of soldiers in the early hours of Tuesday.

The shaky enactment of the humanitarian pause was also seen in arguments between representatives of the government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM), who work together on the ground. A source said the two sides had yet to agree on technical rules on the implementation of the accord, which were supposed to be completed later on Tuesday.

"The police and military think that the operation to restore law and order in the province must continue, but GAM rejected it as it means that the troops will still be engaging in offensive action," the source said.

Meanwhile, the State of Qatar donated on Wednesday a relief package worth US$500,000 to support the humanitarian pause, in the form of rice, sugar, frying oil and noodles.

Another aid package, worth $100,000, came from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In the coming months, the UAE will donate another $400,000 and dates worth $1 million.

The humanitarian assistance was handed over to Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab on Wednesday. "In the near future, the UAE will also build a hospital here. We only have to provide a plot," Alwi said. (50/dja/edt)