Indonesia: Elephants Claim Another Life in Aceh Village

Jakarta Globe 13 Sep 11;

An Indonesian woman was trampled to death by an enraged herd of wild Sumatran elephants on Tuesday in the latest such fatal attack in the same village in Aceh province.

Linawati, 35, was collecting water from a river near Alue Keujren in Kluet Tengah subdistrict at 7:30 a.m. when a herd of elephants trampled her to death.

“The victim was beyond help and she died instantly,” village head Ali Hanafiah said.

Ali said wild elephants had damaged many hectares of corn, rice and other crops.

“Locals attempted to scare-off the wild elephants using traditional methods, such as throwing fire balls made of coconut shells and lighting fireworks, but to no avail,” he said, adding that villagers had reported the disturbances to the subdistrict officials.

Linawati is not the first person from the village to be killed by elephants.

In July 2010, a farmer named Shalahuddin, 30, was killed by elephants. Shalahuddin’s death followed an attack on another farmer Misbah, 48, who was lucky to escape with only serious injuries.

Alue Keujren, located 80 kilometers from the South Aceh district capital of Tapaktuan, is a remote and isolated village that can only be accessed by a three-hour boat ride.

Antara/JG

Wild elephant crushes woman to death
Antara 13 Sep 11;

Banda Aceh (ANTARA News) - A wild elephant is reported to have crushed a woman to death while she was taking water for her household needs at a nearby river.

According to Alue Keujreun community leader, Ali Hanafiah, the 35 years old Lisnawati was found dead after being attacked by the elephant on Tuesday morning at 7.30 am.

"She was found helpless and died on the spot," said Ali.

Residents found that every bone in Lisnawati`s body was crushed and broken by the Sumatran elephant (Elephas Maximus Sumatranus).

Ali said that elephants had been attacking the village in recent months; the huge and wild elephants also destroyed hectares of people`s crops and plantations.

"The local residents have tried to drive away the herd from their village by traditional means such as throwing fireballs made of coconut fiber and firecrackers, but its all useless." he said.

Death caused by the elephants was not the first to be reported, earlier a similar incident was reported at 80 kilometers east of the South Aceh regency capital, Tapaktuan

In late July 2010, a 30 years old farmer Salahuddin was also killed while trying to keep away the elephants from his garden in Gampong Alue Keujreun.

Another farmer, Misbah, was also attacked and now being treated intensively for his injuries at the Yulidin Away General Hospital in Tapaktuan.

Gampong Alue Keujreun is one of remote and isolated villages in Central and Kluet District bordering with Southeast Aceh district. To get to the area of a population of 383 people, the residents must use a boat to cross the Lawe Melang River in 2-3 hours.
(U.A050/H-NG/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH