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Security forces remove referendum banners

Source
Waspada - April 15, 1999

Sigli – The security authorities in Pidie District continued with an operation Wednesday to pull down referendum banners which have been hung across the main provincial highway from Banda Aceh to Medan and along district roads in Pidie. According to witnesses, the banners were removed very early in the day.

In Keude Panteraja, district of Trienggadeng Panteraja, Pidie, the security forces moved in to disperse dozens of local residents who were daubing the word Referendum on the walls. The atmosphere turned ugly and there was almost a clash.

Crowds of people have also been flagging down passing vehicles on the Banda Aceh-Medan highway and asking for contributions towards buying cloth and paint to popularise a Referendum.

Pro-Referendum groups of people were dispersed by the local army chief of staff, Major Ahmad Ismanto, together with troops from other units. He said his objective was to stop people from carrying out activities along the highway.

However, the people ignored the order to disperse and the word Referendum in large letters could still be seen on a bridge crossing the highway in the region of Panteraja.

As the atmosphere became tense, negotiations were held between the security forces and the local people, with Major Isnanto saying that they refused to disperse. Eventually, he said, they undestood why they were being asked to disperse.

Another military officer said that the activities being undertaken by local people were undermining public order, especially when carried out late at night. He also said that people were not allowed to flag vehicles down and ask for contributions. He said that besides being reprehensible, such activities were in contravention of Acehnese customs and behaviour.

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