Violence in troubled Aceh claims more lives
Violence in troubled Aceh claims more lives
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): The latest violence, which broke out in
different parts of the troubled province over the past two days,
has claimed at least five lives and injured four others, a police
officer said on Wednesday.
North Aceh Police chief Supt. Abadan Bangko said four
residents died when a patrol of security officers took a group of
young men in Bang Nibong village, Samudra subdistrict, North Aceh
regency, for armed rebels.
"The men then attempted to escape when the police fired
warning shots to stop them," Abadan said.
He claimed that the security officers were forced to shoot
after several of the men resisted by firing shots and throwing a
hand grenade at the officers.
The blast killed five of the youths and injured two security
officers and a resident.
The police officers' version of story, however, contradicted
that of local residents, who claimed that there were no gunfights
and that the security personnel just shot at the local youths.
"There were no gunfights. The six men were scared by the
security personnel's sudden appearance in the village and tried
to avoid those officers," a resident said.
In a related development, Aceh Besar Police Precinct chief
Supt. Sayed Hoesainy confirmed that two activists of the Central
Information on Aceh Referendum (CIRA) were arrested on Tuesday
evening by a group of armed rebels.
"They were accused of stealing the car they were driving,
which belongs to the National Family Planning Coordinating
Board," he said.
Meanwhile, CIRA President Muh. Nazar said the two activists
were released on Wednesday.
"They were arrested while repairing the car in the Setui area
of Banda Aceh by a group of heavily-built armed men in civil
outfits.
"I believe that the arrest was conducted by members of the
police intelligence unit and the two activists were temporarily
detained at the Police Mobile Brigade headquarters in Lingke
village, some five kilometers away from Banda Aceh, where they
had to endure physical assault there before finally being handed
over to the Aceh Besar police precinct for further
investigation," he said.
Nazar said the two were questioned by the police over their
speeches on human rights and democracy, which the police
described as provocative.
In a separate development, Muh. Yusuf Puteh, head of the Forum
for Human Rights in East Aceh, said four residents were injured,
four others were missing and eight houses were burned down during
a sweeping operation by security officers in Kabu and Teumbun
villages, Pereulak district, on Tuesday.
Separately, in Pidie regency, a military officer was
reportedly injured when the bus he was riding on was intercepted
by armed rebels during a sweeping operation on Jl. Raya Banda
Aceh in Medan.
Free Aceh Movement (GAM) commander Abu Syeh denied the
allegations that the movement was responsible for the actions.
(50/lup)