Kiling in Beutong Ateuh, West Aceh District
More than 100 military personnel from (TNI-AD; Indonesian Armed Forces)
commanded by BKO (Operational Unit) of Korem 011/Liliwangsa, composed of
Yonif 131 and 133 and backed by one platoon from Battalion 328 Kostrad,
commanded by Intel Korem 011/Liliwangsa, LetKol Inf SUDJONO, in initial
report have massacred more than 39 civilian in the valley of Singgah Mata,
Blang Merandeh village, Beutong Ateuh, in West Aceh District.
This group of Forces was known to the people of Aceh as "Pasukan TNI
Pembantai Rakyat Civil" or "The Civilian Killers".
The units used 17 military trucks traveling from Takengon, Central Aceh on
21 July 1999, toward Beutong Ateuh where the religious school under leadership
of Tengku Bantakiah resides.
Around 4:00PM in the afternoon, on the 23rd of July, Indonesian Forces whose
faces were painted in black dressed in full military uniform arrived in
Beutong Ateuh, where Tengku Bantakiah and his family lives. The Indonesian
Military immediately ordered the village leader of Desa Blang Merandeh to
gathered all inhabitants / villagers (including children and women) to the
second floor of Bantakiah's home.
8 (eight) of the men in the village were rounded up by the soldiers to the
mountain side used as guide to search for GAM (Free Aceh Movement
Personnel).
During the search they torched two houses and ransacked a few others.
Failing to find anything, the Indonesian soldiers came back to Bantakiah's
premises and ordered all men to get out of the house with hands above their
heads.
Around 11:00pm, all 70 (seventy) men from the village were ordered to
line-up in front of Tengku Bantakiah home. Then, the commander of Indonesian
Soldiers ordered Tengku Bantakiah to come forward. Witnessed by all
villagers, including his son and his wife the commander shot Tengku
Bantakiah at point-blank.
USMAN, 28, Bantakiah's son ran to hold his father, was also shot at point
blank, as well as Bantaqiah's wife. The Commander ordered the villagers to
bury Tengku Bantakiah under threat of automatic weapons. Once the burial
is over, the soldiers ordered the villagers to line up again - and using
automatic assault rifles began shooting at everyone insight. 28
(twenty-eight) civilians were killed immediately on the spot, they were
dumped and buried in a well, behind Bantakiah's home. And, the injured were
dump into a truck.
The other 8 (eight) civilians, rounded-up earlier used in the search for GAM
was also murdered. During their trip back to Takengon, the soldiers killed
the remainder of the injured civilians inside the truck. About 60 Acehnese
civilians were killed that day by TNI-AD Military Personnel from Yonif 131,
Yonif 138 and Battalion 328 Kostrad commanded by BKO) Korem 011/Lilawangsa.
The news about the massacred was only known by the locals on the 24th of
July, 1999. A couple of witnessed were able to avoid the military check
points and headed to Meulaboh (Capital City of West Aceh District). Once the
news were leaked to the press, only then the rest of the surrounding
villagers began their exodus. The villagers just have learnt that their
neighboring villages men has been killed by soldiers.
Commander of Korem 012/Teuku Umar, Kol. CZI. SYARIFUDDIN TIPPE, statement of
the massacred: "It is true that Tengku Bantakiah and his 30 followers were
killed. It is because our intelligence unit knew that he has arms with him.
And we have taken to custody AK-56, AK-47, Colt 38 Pistol, FN45, 100
ammunitions, 60 pieces of arms, 1 antenna radio Rango, 1 unit HT IC-02N, 2Kg
of Ganja, and they have knives." He added "It is not true that we killed
civilians. The truth is that there was a battle, where we were attacked at
two points before getting to Bantakiah place."
Head of Staff Korem 011/TU, Letkol. Inf. IRO SUPARMO: " There was no women
killed in that incident. All of them were men from GAM."
Head of Korem 011/LLW, Kol.Inf. SYAFNIL ARMEN: "All I know it is not Kostrad
(Special Forces) who massacred those men. I have no knowledge of any Kostrad
forces in Aceh". He added: "Only forces from Korem 011/LLW and Korem 012/TU
were used."
Head of Police in Aceh, Kol. Pol. Bachrumsyah: "Those who are killed are
trouble makers and ganja farmers, but we are still checking. He added:
"fights broke out between Special Police and Bantakiah's group for about ten
minutes."
Below is a list of some 60 allegedly massacred by Indonesian Forces, found
so far:
1. Tgk. Bantakiah, 50 yr
2. Usman bin Bantakiah, 28 yr
3. M. Harun, 18 yr (putra kepala desa Blang Meurandeh)
4. Zubir, 26 yr (memantu kepala desa Blang Meurandeh)
5. Muhammad Din, 40 yr
6. M.Husen, 30 yr
7. Jamalul Ade, 25 yr
8. M. Muin Bahrum, 25 yr
9. Tarmizi Daud, 27 yr
10. Tengku Syamsuar, 30 yr
11. M.Amin N, 25 yr
In Critical condition:
1. Tgk. Mohd. Din, 30 yr, Imam Meunasah desa Blang Meurandeh
2. Muhammad Janata, 22 yr
3. Saidi, 30 yr
4. M. Ali B, 25 yr
5. Abdul Wahid, 20 yr
Missing:
1. M. Isa K, 37 yr, desa Kulam Jeureneh, Beutong Bawah
2. Jakfar, 36 yr, desa Kulam Jeureneh, Beutong Bawah
3. Safari, 25 yr,
4. Maksah, 27 yr, desa Blang Pu'uk, Beutong Ateuh
5. M. Thaleb, 26 yr, desa Blang Pu'uk , Beutong Ateuh
It is the worst massacre and most barbaric acts that TNI-AD (Indonesian Arm
Forces) have done in Aceh since Military Operations supposedly ended a year
ago.
From the comments gathered of the military and police commanders in Aceh, we
can conclude that massacred and killings of civilians is allowed as well as
there is an assumption that those civilians has weapons, ganja farm or an
assumption that those civilians are GAM (Free Aceh Movement).
The military commanders views and actions have become a threat to all
Acehnese living in Aceh. The military actions is enough evidence for
Acehnese to seek refuge outside Indonesia. If such exodus happens, it is not
because they are member of Free Aceh Movement (GAM) or sympathizers, rather because
Indonesian Government can no longer guarantee their safety from threats of
killings and mass murdered which has been done professionally and
systematically by Indonesian Military Special Forces and the Special Police
in Aceh todate.
* in Beutong Ateuh comprised of 4 villages name Blang Meurandeh, Blang
Pu'uk, Kuta Teungoh, and Babah Suak.
* From "garang"
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