Mega won't meet GAM members

Mega won't meet GAM members

JAKARTA (JP): President Megawati Soekarnoputri is unlikely to
meet with members of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
during her weekend visit to the restive province, says an aide.

"Ibu did not specifically mention the Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
members. She just said the Acehnese from all walk of life,"
Pramono told The Jakarta Post when contacted after a press
conference.

Pramono, a close aide of Megawati from the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) earlier spoke in a
press briefing after the party weekly meeting.

"The President wants so much to hear what the Acehnese have to
say and to promote the current Special Autonomy Law of Nanggroe
Aceh Darussalam," Pramono Agung said in the press conference.

Megawati has pledged to rely on dialog to settle the
separatism issue in the province but has warned that she will not
tolerate secession.

In the conference Pramono said Megawati would leave on
Saturday Sept. 8 and returned the next day, reversing what State
Secretary/Cabinet Secretary Bambang Kesowo said on Monday that
Megawati would make a one-day trip to Aceh on Saturday.

Pramono said Megawati would visit Banda Aceh on the first day
and would spend the night in Medan.

"Because it is impossible to stay in Banda Aceh," he said.

On the following day she will go to Langsa and will hold
another dialog with the people, Pramono said.

The visit will be Megawati's first to the province as
president.

Maximum security

Police chief Gen. Suroyo Bimantoro said on Tuesday that
maximum security had been arranged for the President's trip to
the province, Antara reported.

"We guarantee the safety (of the President). We are working on
maximizing security with the Indonesian Military," the general
was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.

Gen. Bimantoro was speaking before a meeting of security
officials and ministers to discuss preparations for the visit.

In Aceh, most members of Aceh's Provincial Legislative Council
(DPRD) had fled the province following the mysterious killing of
their colleague Zaini Sulaiman Ishaq on Sept. 1.

Moersyid Minosra, vice chairman of DPRD told Antara that
the members had asked for a leave of absence to "visit their
families outside Aceh".

Two other DPRD members, Ali Jauhari of PDI Perjuangan faction
and Ghazali of the National Mandate Party faction, are still
missing after being abducted by an unidentified group two months
ago.

Those members known for their outspokenness opted to keep
silent.

"I'd rather stay silent for the time being due to the
uncertain situation," said a legislator who asked not to be
named.

The DPRD building looked deserted with only a few legislators
in small groups discussing the worsening security situation in
the province.

Cease-fire

A member of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) here
urged both the military and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to hold
a cease-fire.

"I demand that those parties who have weapons in their
possession, namely the TNI-Polri and GAM, relinquish their arms
to a third party in the shortest possible time," Ghazali Abbas
Adan was quoted by Antara as saying.

Ghazali said, firearms were a catastrophe for the Acehnese and
that thousands had lost their lives as a result of their use.

"Those who refuse to lay down their weapons are the very party
who wants to prolong the suffering of the Acehnese," he said.

Ghazali said he categorically opposed a military solution for
the province because realities indicated that the more troops
were sent to the province the more civilians became victims of
violence.

Ghazali dismissed government officials and legislators who
supported a military solution as people who had lost their minds
and who had not learned from history.

The military claimed that they have sent 3,000 troops to Aceh
since April 2001.

Megawati has apologized for past policies in Aceh and has
offered greater autonomy to the province.

MPR Speaker Amien Rais on Monday hailed Megawati's visit plan
and suggested that she stay in the province for two or three
days.

He said he believed that the separatist rebels would not cause
any disturbance while the President was in the province.

"It would bring much joy to the Acehnese if the President
could stay and even visit other areas besides Banda Aceh," he
said. (dja/hbk)