National

Police Dormitories in Aceh Devastated
Friday, 31 December, 2004 | 20:54 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:National Police spokesperson Inspector General Paiman has said that eight police dormitory buildings, usually occupied by a total of 7,760 people, have been devastated by the recent earthquakes and tsunami waves in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) province.

The dormitories are located in Lantenan I and II, Pungoh, Kebon Kelapa, Ule Lheu, the Mobile Brigade dormitory in Lingke, Banda Aceh, the Water Police dormitory, and the dormitory in Meulaboh.

However, Paiman is yet able to confirm the number of Mobile Brigade personnel who were killed due to the disasters as so far only 10 police have been identified and buried.

Meanwhile, 34 police personnel, from the Air Police, the Mobile Brigade and the Local Police have been taken to Bhayangkara hospital, Medan, North Sumatra, in order to receive medical treatment.

Meanwhile, three tanks, six C-type ships owned by the Water Police and two helicopters have been declared missing.

In addition, several cars, motorcycles and trucks belonging to the Aceh police have been damaged.

Due to the disasters, Paiman said, the activities at Aceh police offices have been virtually paralyzed.

Bali Police Chief Inspector General Made Mangku Pastika confirmed that 153 out of 213 Bali police personnel assigned to various areas in Aceh were safe, including 100 members of the Mobile Brigade.

The West Nusa Tenggara Police has as yet been unable to contact 12 of its personnel assigned in Aceh.

According to West Nusa Tenggara Police Chief Brigadier General M. Tosin, these police personnel are supposed to be replaced by other members of the West Nusa Tenggara Police at the end of this month.

Up to Thursday (30/12), there was no news regarding the whereabouts of 1,785 Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel from the Siliwangi III Military Command assigned in Aceh, said Military Command spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Bambang Siswoyo.

According to Siswoyo, 20 TNI personnel have been deployed to confirm the whereabouts of these missing personnel and send 10 trucks of food supplies and clothes.

Iskandar Muda Military Chief Major General Endang Suwarya said that the number of TNI personnel killed in the recent disasters in Aceh has so far reached 500 people.

Spokesperson for TNI headquarters in Cilangkap, Jakarta, Colonel D.J. Nachrowi, said that 54 TNI personnel and 363 family members of TNI personnel in Aceh had been reported missing.

In addition, 20 operational vehicles belonging to the TNI have also badly damaged.

Navy spokesperson Commodore Abdul Malik Yusuf said that 14 marines and military police had been reported missing in the recent disasters in Aceh.

Six have been killed and 10 others are receiving medical treatment at hospital. (Edy Can/Indriani/Rinny S/Raden R/Supriyantho KH-Tempo News Room)