Two Aceh Men Killed for Alleged Duck Theft

Two Aceh Men Killed for Alleged Duck Theft
Nurdin Hasan | February 26, 2011


Banda Aceh. Police in Southeast Aceh district are questioning several people in connection with Thursday’s killing of two men suspected of stealing ducks.

Adj. Sr. Comr. Arsyad, the district police chief, said on Friday that the incident occurred in Lawe Serke village, in Lawe Sigala-gala subdistrict.

He said villagers carrying out a night patrol spotted three unknown men and gave chase, assuming them to be responsible for a recent spate of duck thefts.

“One of the three reportedly escaped, but the other two were caught,” Arsyad said.

“They were found to have eight ducks in their possession, which prompted the villagers to begin attacking them.”

He said the attack escalated as villagers began hitting the men with whatever they could get their hands on and slashing them with knives and machetes, eventually killing them.

He identified the victims as Hajidsu, 40, and Jabar, 37, from neighboring Bambel subdistrict.

Samsuar, the Lawe Serke village chief, said the residents had acted out of rage because of the losses suffered as a result of the duck thefts over the past month.

Arsyad said residents should not take the law into their own hands. “If you happen to catch a suspected thief, hand them over to the police immediately to face due legal process,” he said.

He said the police were treating the killings seriously but had not yet named any suspects.

Thursday’s incident was the second case of mob justice in Aceh this week. On Sunday, residents of Geureughek village in North Aceh district burned to death a man accused of practicing black magic.



Jakarta Globe