Troops shoot protesters in Aceh, 23 wounded

Troops shoot protesters in Aceh, 23 wounded

JAKARTA (JP): At least 23 people were seriously injured in
Meulaboh, West Aceh, on Tuesday afternoon when military troops
opened fire on thousands of demonstrators who took to the streets
to demand a self-determination referendum for the troubled
province, witnesses said.

A correspondent of Serambi Indonesia daily in Meulaboh,
Zahrial, reported military personnel shot the protesters as they
attempted to force their way into the compound of the local
military command.

The mob burned the legislative council building at Simpang
Tugu Pelor near Jl. Iskandar Muda before marching to the military
command.

"At least 15 of the injured demonstrators are still in
critical condition at Cuk Nyak Dhien Hospital," Zahrial told The
Jakarta Post by phone.

The violence follows President Abdurrahman Wahid's order the
Indonesian Military investigate local military personnel
allegedly involved in the fatal shooting of more than 50 people
in July in the West Aceh subdistrict of Beutong Ateuh.

Zahrial said the mob burned the legislative council building
after discovering the 45 legislators had left the building,
ignoring protesters' demand for a meeting.

"The building was completely destroyed," Zahrial said.

The situation in Meulaboh remained tense as of Tuesday
evening, with shops closed and no public transportation
operating, Zahrial said.

Indonesian Military spokesman Maj. Gen. Sudradjat confirmed
the shooting, but said only one protester was shot during the
clash, which broke out after the mob failed to force Capt.
Syamsul Arif to lower the Indonesian flag flying in the military
compound.

"When the two sides failed to reach an agreement, the mob
tried to force their way into the compound and security troops
had no choice but to fire warning shots," Sudradjat told Antara
new agency.

Meanwhile, the National Commission on Human Rights'
representative in Aceh, Iqbal Farabi, expressed surprise at the
burning of the legislative building and the protesters' attempt
to force their way into the military compound. He said
demonstrations in other cities in Aceh usually proceeded
peacefully.

"The people actually just wanted to burn all the documents in
the (council) office, but the fire razed the whole building,"
Iqbal said.

He said the rally on Tuesday was staged by the Taliban student
group, adding that the group had never before resorted to
violence in pressing their demands for a referendum.

"This is a new phenomenon for Aceh," Iqbal said.

Iqbal said street protests to demand a self-determination
referendum for the province had become routine in Aceh's 11
regencies and two mayoralties over the past two months.
Protesters usually read an identical statement and ask the local
legislators to sign it, he added.

Iqbal said the military and police were generally tolerant of
protesters, and most fatalities and injuries during
demonstrations were the result of traffic accidents.

Meanwhile, the chief of the Bukit Barisan Military Command
overseeing Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Riau, Maj. Gen.
Rahman Gaffar, said the investigation into the July killing of 51
people, including religious leader Teungku Bantaqiah, would begin
soon.

"We are still waiting instructions from the investigative team
in Jakarta. The investigation will also look into inhumane acts
committed by GAM, which has killed scores of innocent soldiers
and police officers," Rahman told Antara. GAM is the separatist
Free Aceh Movement.

Disputing a fact-finding team's report that Bantaqiah was an
innocent civilian, Rahman said the religious leader was involved
in weapons and marijuana.

Rahman also alleged that Bantaqiah, a former political
prisoner, was responsible for the killing of 14 soldiers and
police officers in West Aceh. (51/byg/prb)