Jakarta – A general strike to protest military violence entered a second day Thursday in Indonesia's troubled Aceh province, leaving cities and towns deserted, residents said.
"It is much like yesterday, but some roadside stalls have opened in small streets to profit from the pressing needs of the people," said Afrizal Cutra, executive secretary of the Forum of Aceh Non-Governmental Organizations.
He said that in the capital, Banda Aceh, government offices were open but only a few officials were on duty while school children could be seen walking on the streets well past school opening time.
The streets of Lhokseumawe, the district town in North Aceh also remained deserted Thursday, said Yakub Hamzah, head of the Iskandar Muda legal aid there.
"Only one or two private vehicles could be seen on the streets. Shops remained closed and even pedicabs are off the streets," Hamzah said.
However, he noted there were many military vehicles and helicopters from the army base in town, and cited unconfirmed reports of clashes between soldiers and rebels in Kemala, Pidie district.
In Sigli, the main district town in Pidie, the city was like a ghost town, a doctor there said. "Our hospital is operating normally although our patients have been reduced to just around 10 percent of the usual," said M.F. Arsyad who heads the Sigli general hospital.
He said there was no public transport, and to ensure hosptial services, some employees had been allowed to stay overnight there, while those living nearby were picked up by ambulance from their homes.
A similar arrangement was in place at the general hospital in Langsa, the district town in East Aceh. "We are operating as usual although there are only a few incoming patients," nurse Susilowati of the emergency ward at the Langsa district hospital said.
Students and human rights groups called the two-day general strike to demand an end to military violence and the withdrawal of anti-riot troops deployed there since the gunning down of 41 civilians in Lhokseumawe in May.
In Jakarta, the Solidarity Forum for Aceh, grouping 27 non-governmental organizations, held a series of events Thursday, including discussions, exhibitions and fund raising sales of paintings to support the general strike in Aceh.
The strike began as national police chief General Rusmanhadi announced a new six-month offensive against Aceh separatists involving more than 6,186 Aceh police officers and auxiliaries and some 5,000 backup troops. The new offensive included an order to shoot-on-sight any suspect civilians carrying arms.
Jakarta has sent about 3,100 anti-riot police and 2,000 troops and auxiliaries to the province as reinforcements, he said, adding that the offensive would end in January.
Most of the violence has been concentrated in Pidie, North Aceh and East Aceh, the districts which bore the brunt of a decade of anti-rebel military operations that ended last year. Soldiers and officials were accused of widespread human rights violations during the operations.
Nine Acehnese protestors remained in the Dutch embassy in Jakarta which they entered during a demonstation Wednesday. They have vowed to remain until the embassy gives them a written response to their plea for support for their independence drive.