Students in Aceh sit final exams

The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe/Banda Aceh

Elementary school pupils in warn-torn Aceh crammed into mosques and partially burned classrooms on Monday to take their national final examinations, days after unidentified arsonists burned down hundreds of schools.

Students from elementary school (SDN) II in Geurugok, Gandapura, Bireuen regency, had to take final examinations in a mosque, while sitting on the floor.

"It is really difficult to answer the questions while sitting on the floor, without a table or a chair," said Angga, 12, one of 35 SDN II sixth graders taking the examinations.

SDN II has a total of 176 students.

No security personnel were seen near the several burned schools in Bireuen, a stronghold of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which has been fighting for independence since 1976. Over 10,000 people have been killed since then, mostly innocent civilians.

Close to 400 schools, mostly in Bireuen and Pidie regencies, were burned since the government imposed martial law in the country's westernmost province last Monday.

In Bireun alone, at least 126 of the 232 elementary school and eleven of the 28 high school buildings were burned last week. Military leaders blamed the arson on GAM.

Students from Cot Pase elementary school in Peusangan district in Bireuen told The Jakarta Post that they were afraid to go to school for fear of armed attacks during the examinations.

Before the tests began on Monday, the students had to clean out the debris in burned classrooms so they could use them for the examinations, which last for four days.

There are 27 students from Cot Pase elementary school that are taking the finals.

"We are so sad...some of us were crying when we learned that our school was on fire last Tuesday. But on Saturday, our teachers informed us to keep on going to school because they (teachers) plan to move us to Darussa'adah Islamic Boarding School there," a student called Rahmat Hidayat told the Post.

Murhayati, 55, the principal of Cot Pase school, said teachers across Aceh province had been urged by the local branch of the education ministry to proceed with the examinations. She, however, could not hide her concerns over the safety of her students during the tests.

"Since the military operation started here, we, villagers, are always worries because armed clashes can take place anytime." said Murhayati.

The government imposed martial law in Aceh on Monday in a bid to rout GAM after efforts to salvage a peace pact signed last December failed to yield the desired outcome.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) said on Monday that 74 rebels had been killed and 20 captured since May 19 in the province with the loss of three soldiers and two policemen. Ten rebels, including two local commanders, surrendered Monday, police and witnesses said.

TNI spokesman Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said on Monday that military operations against GAM "will be intensified", raising fears of more casualties.

Meanwhile, heavily-guarded truck convoys brought food, fuel and other essentials into Aceh on Monday.

Many truckers stopped plying the route between Banda Aceh and Medan in neighboring North Sumatra province after threats of arson attacks on vehicles.

Residents here claimed that GAM rebels were behind the attacks, and food supplies have been dwindling, while costs go up.

Thirteen trucks, about 10 minibuses and several military and police vehicles including an armored vehicle left Banda Aceh for Medan to pick up supplies.

The arson attacks on vehicles continued on Monday, creating dismay among residents. At about 3 p.m. on Monday, a truck and a bus were burnt down in Kuta Blang district of North Aceh regency, some 40 kilometers east of Lhokseumawe.

Witnesses said the incident occurred just after a convoy of supply trucks, guarded by security officers, passed the area. When the unguarded truck and bus passed by they were attacked and burnt. No injury reports were available, and the identity and whereabouts of the attackers was unknown.

"We were told (by the attackers) to get down and go away from the location as fast as we could," a woman, who refused to be named, told the Post.

A similar incident also occurred in neighboring Teupin Raya Pidie district, in addition to several shootings reported in the area, which consists mainly of rice fields.

A vendor selling sugar cane juice along the road in Glee Glungku village said that there were only a few vehicles on the road.

"If they do come by here, they speed up due to the empty road," said the vendor.