Megawati plans to visit restive Aceh in April

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri is planning to visit conflict- torn Aceh in April, her second after the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed a peace deal aimed at putting an end to decades-long conflict in the province.

Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh said Monday that the visit would take place in the second week of April to deliver some humanitarian aid and hold a dialog with people in the west of the province.

"This time, the President will not stay in the capital of Banda Aceh, but other areas to meet the people," Puteh told reporters after meeting Megawati at the Presidential Palace.

However, a source at the Palace said Monday that so far there were no set dates for the visit due to President's busy schedule including a planned visit to Eastern Europe starting April 17.

"There is no date yet and as far as I know, the President may not be able to go to Aceh this month (April)," the source said.

Megawati visited Aceh last Dec. 17 and 18, one week after the government and secessionist movement GAM signed a peace deal in Switzerland on Dec. 19.

Under the agreement, both parties agreed to end hostilities which started in 1976, when GAM fighters embarked on an armed campaign for a separate state in the resource-rich province from Indonesia.

Megawati has visited the country's westernmost province three times since she took over the national leadership in July 2001.

Governor Puteh said Monday that around 30 percent of the villages in eight strife-torn regencies could not be reached due to poor security conditions. The eight regencies are Pidie, Biereun, Lhoksemawe, North Aceh, East Aceh, Aceh Besar, West Aceh and South Aceh.

"People there are being terrorized and are suffering from extortion. Even I and other government officials cannot enter those areas and if we force our way in it may provoke clashes with the rebels," Puteh said.

"We cannot enter those villages mostly located in the mountains, because the people are afraid to let us visit them," said Puteh, adding that extortion and terror were conducted by GAM.