Unknown culprits block Meulaboh to Banda Aceh roads

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Land transportation from Banda Aceh capital of Aceh province to Meulaboh in West Aceh has been interrupted over the last three days as unknown parties placed felled trees along the roads of the province's south and west coastal areas.

A number of motorcyclists from West Aceh's Teunom and Krueng Sabee villages said in Banda Aceh that as of Sunday morning there were still felled trees, including coconut trees, placed along the road which prevented buses and cars from passing.

Police said a similar barricade was also placed by unknown parties on roads connecting Banda Aceh and Medan, the capital of neighboring North Sumatra province last week.

"But the barricade has been cleared so the roads connecting the two provinces have returned to normal," spokesman for the police's Cinta Meunasah II Operation Adj. Sr. Comr. Sad Harunantyo said on Sunday.

As of Sunday afternoon, security personnel had cleared some of the trees along the Meulaboh-Banda Aceh route.

"We still have to finish clearing the trees from Krueng Sabee village to Meulaboh or around 100 kilometers more," a source at the West Aceh police told The Jakarta Post.

It is expected that all trees would be lifted from the roads by Monday morning.

Due to the blockade, some bus companies in Banda Aceh have decided to temporarily halt their operations.

"All bus crews (serving the routes) are forced to rest," an owner of a bus company, who requested anonymity, said.

"We will start selling our (bus) tickets again if all trees have been cleared from the roads and the security situation allows us to operate," he added.

Meanwhile, local Serambi Indonesia daily reported that several patients of the Cut Nyak Dhien General Hospital in Meulaboh, who were to undergo further medical treatment in Banda Aceh, have failed to reach the provincial capital.

In a related development, a convoy of military personnel was attacked by an unknown group in Jaya district, West Aceh. A soldier was injured in the incident.

There were scant details on the incident which took place in the area along the blockaded roads.

Separately, the Commission for Missing People and Victims of Violence (Kontras) claimed that around 211 people in Aceh had become victims of violence in March.

Coordinator of Kontras' Aceh branch, Bustami Arifin, told Antara on Sunday that out of the 211 victims, 81 were killed, 28 people were still missing, 68 people have been tortured, and 34 others have been arrested arbitrarily.

"These figures are not real. We believe that the number of victims is much higher," Bustami said, adding that Kontras faced difficulties in monitoring violence in all parts of Aceh.

He noted that the figures were based on reports from Kontras' volunteers in 13 regencies in Aceh.

Kontras reported that out of the 81 people killed in March, 34 people were killed in East Aceh regency, 15 people in North Aceh, 11 in Aceh Besar, nine in South Aceh, six in Pidie, three in Central Aceh and another three in West Aceh.

Out of the 28 missing people, nine were from Aceh Besar, eight from East Aceh, five from Pidie, four from North Aceh, one from Bireun and one from South Aceh.

Of the 68 people who suffered torture, 18 were from East Aceh, 18 from North Aceh, 11 from South Aceh, 10 from Pidie, 10 from West Aceh, and one from Aceh Besar. (50/emf)