Idi Cut – Residents have found bullet cartridges produced by the Bandung-based State Munitions Industries [Pindad] scattered around the Idi Cut Military Sector Command post in Darul Aman Subdistrict, East Aceh, the day after shots were fired to disperse a crowd gathered there early on Wednesday morning (3rd February). More cartridges and projectiles were found where bodies were disposed of, and bullets were recovered from the bodies of victims who received medical attention. People who found the cartridges said that they bore the markings "Pindad-88" and "Pindad-91" ...

Witness statement

Elsewhere, Serambi yesterday met two witnesses to the bloody incident at Idi Cut – Razali (18) and M. Yusuf (25), both Idi Cut residents.

These youths, who said that they had been detained at the East Aceh Police Headquarters, claimed that early on the Wednesday [10th February] morning, the crowd had been proceeding home at a leisurely pace, on foot, or by motorcycle, pickup or larger truck, after attending a meeting on the theme "A Call for a Free Aceh" at Matang Ulim village.

When they reached Seunuebok Aceh village, not far from the military post, they were stoned by a group of youths. A number of troublemakers, who had mixed with the crowd, hurled stones at the military post. These people then disappeared. Razali and Yusuf said that they could not recognise them, as the lights at the military post had been turned off. A few moments later, fully armed ABRI [Indonesian armed forces] troops suddenly appeared and fired into the crowd. "I saw several people lying on the ground with bullet wounds," said Razali.

As the wounded cried out, two military trucks appeared, into which the victims were loaded. Some were presumed already dead. One of the trucks then headed east, the other west.

The truck that went into Langsa handed over its "cargo" to the East Aceh police. The other truck is presumed to have thrown its "cargo" into the Arakundo River, weighted...

No-go area

Students who have set up an information post have received a peculiar report from residents. Apparently the military authorities have forbidden them from examining the long grass or clearing the bush in the vicinity of Kampung Seuneubok Aceh village.

The village head, Usman Husin, told Serambi that ABRI had indeed issued this order. Residents had planned to check the bushes for bodies of people missing after the Idi Cut incident...