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)