Seven killed in fresh Aceh unrest
Seven killed in fresh Aceh unrest
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): At least seven people were killed and
scores of others injured during a fresh outbreak of violence in
Aceh between Sunday and Monday, officials and witnesses reported
on Tuesday.
Five bodies bearing bullet wounds and lacerations were found
in East Aceh on Monday during the celebration of Idul Adha in the
predominantly-Muslim province.
Two of the fatalities were sisters named Suhala, 50, and Cut
Zubaida, 45, both locals of Lhok Bani village in Langsa Barat
district of East Aceh.
"According to Habibi, 14, Zubaida's son who witnessed the
event, the murderers used rifles to shoot both victims at point-
blank range in the head and chest," Sr. Comr. Kusbini Imbar told
The Jakarta Post by phone from Banda Aceh on Tuesday.
Both women and Habibi were performing their afternoon prayer
at their house when the three gunmen entered at around 2 p.m. and
opened fire on them, the officer said.
Police have identified two of the murderers as alleged rebels
M. Sofyan, alias Yan bin Nekmen, and Adi bin Nekmen. The third
person remains unknown.
"We're after the killers and the case is being investigated,"
Kusbini said.
Meanwhile, three decomposed bodies were recovered in East Aceh
and taken to Langsa General Hospital.
Also on Monday rebels attacked the Baiturrachman police
subprecinct in downtown Banda Aceh at 5:20 p.m., leaving two
policemen severely injured.
Brig. Komaruddin Hidayat and Brig. Eko Kurniawan suffered
gunshot wounds after gunmen on motorbikes sprayed bullets at the
police post using AK-47 semiautomatic rifles.
"The assailants fled the scene and the two officers have been
treated at a local police clinic," Kusbini said.
In restive Pidie regency, which is known as the stronghold of
the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatists, two rebels were killed
on Sunday.
The first rebel, 35-year-old M. Djamil Syahkubat, 35, was
killed during an encounter with patrolling police officers in
Ulue Tutue Mutiara village, while the other rebel, named Syukri
Nurdin, 22, was shot dead after resisting arrest, Pidie police
chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Heru Budi Ersanto said.
In Jakarta, the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad)
chief Lt. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu asserted on Tuesday that the
military should handle the security situation in Aceh because the
police are not trained to handle armed civilians.
"The government was supposed to impose a limited military
operation in Aceh some time ago, but due to various
considerations, including the policy of the House of
Representatives (DPR), the Indonesian Military (TNI) has just
started a military operation (beginning March 1)," Ryamizard said
on the sidelines of preparations for the 40th anniversary of
Kostrad at the Airborne brigade headquarters in Cijantung, East
Jakarta.
The government declared a limited military operation in the
troubled province on March 1.
Ryamizard, however, said he has yet to be given instruction by
TNI headquarters on how to perform the operation because "the
(military) operation is really dependent on the escalation of
conflict there".
The three-star general added that the military has been "too
generous" in listening to the people's demands to restrain the
TNI from conducting a military operation in Aceh.
"Not only in Indonesia, but in any other country, an armed
threat such as the one in Aceh should be handled by the military,
not the police.
"Dispatching the police there is wrong since they are not
trained to suppress armed groups," Ryamizard said. (edt/02/50/51)