Beyond Gus Dur's visit

President Abdurrahman Wahid's jokes may have broken the ice and tension in Aceh during his meeting with a group of about 500 carefully screened people at Baiturrahman Mosque in Banda Aceh on Tuesday. But temporary relief and a lull in the violence is about all that his brief visit accomplished, nothing else.

The tone of his speech, broadcast live across the nation, was conciliatory and at times refreshingly self-deprecating. He apologized to the people of Aceh for his administration's failure to resolve the problems. He faulted the military for treating the Acehnese, including the armed separatist rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), as foes rather than brothers. And he quipped that if he had not been a Muslim, he would have committed suicide because of his failure.

Looking beyond the humor and self-deprecation, however, Abdurrahman offered nothing new that would ease the pain and suffering of the people in the province. He came with the promise of more money for the people of Aceh. And he promised to give them more autonomy in managing their own affairs. But these are the same promises that have been made in the past, that have been ineffective at stopping the violence that has killed tens of thousands of people in the last 10 years. And he did not repeat the promise that his administration has failed to fulfill -- to see that justice is upheld with regards to the widespread human rights abuses committed by the military in the past.

His conciliatory gestures also contradicted the tough statements that he, his Cabinet ministers and military, made in recent weeks about the activities of the separatist movement. His promise that he would not renew military operations in Aceh also contrasted with his own generals' warning that Aceh might be placed under an emergency military situation because of the escalating tension.

Given his penchant for changing his mind, its likely that few people in Aceh took his promise at face value, treating the military warning more seriously. Acehnese, of all people, know better than to believe the President, having reneged on his promise, made only a year ago, to allow a referendum on self- determination.

If anything, his conciliatory gestures have confused the people of Aceh. After the President's visit on Tuesday, Jakarta is now more ambivalent than it has ever been with regards to finding solutions to the Aceh problem.

Since the visit failed to make any significant change to Aceh conditions, an important date to remember is Jan. 15, when the humanitarian pause between Jakarta and GAM expires. Going by their statements, neither side appears to have any intention of renewing the agreement. From now on, Aceh must brace for even more violence.

Had it been properly planned, the visit could have eased the tension and prevented more clashes. With more tact, the President could have won the hearts and minds of the Aceh people and regained their trust and confidence. Instead, what transpired on Tuesday may backfire on the government.

Prior to the visit, Jakarta sent some 5,000 fresh, fully-armed troops into Aceh. Some were deployed to secure the President's visit. Others, according to the military, were sent on an humanitarian mission to help victims of this month's floods. Their timings seem too much of a coincidence, especially after the military warned that a state of military emergency might be imposed in Aceh next month. Whatever the real reasons for sending the troops, their presence made Aceh look more and more like it is in a state of war. Before and during the President's visit, Banda Aceh even looked like a town under military occupation. This can only reinforce the enmity and hatred that many people in Aceh harbor against Jakarta.

If Jakarta had been sincere about its conciliatory approach to Aceh, the very least that the President should have done was to order the release of Muhammad Nazar, the chairman of the Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA), who has been under police detention for more than a month. Jakarta should also have completed the prosecution of military officers who were allegedly responsible for human rights atrocities against the people of Aceh. And, finally, Jakarta should also have made some political accommodations to the growing aspirations of the people of Aceh to determine their own future.