New schedule set for Megawati's visit to Aceh

JAKARTA (JP): Although President Megawati Soekarnoputri does not have a clear plan to meet with members of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in her visit to Aceh on Saturday, GAM insists that a dialog between her and its top leader be held in Sweden to initiate further dialogs between the two sides.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said after meeting with the President in Jakarta on Wednesday that "Ibu will leave for Banda Aceh on Saturday (in the morning) and will fly back in the evening."

He said that Megawati would meet with Acehnese community figures, but "it was up to the local administration whether or not GAM members would participate in the meeting".

GAM spokesman Ayah Sofyan, told The Jakarta Post in Banda Aceh on Wednesday that if the government of Indonesia wanted to resolve Aceh's problems thoroughly, dialogs between the government and GAM must be initiated by a meeting between Megawati and the GAM leader living in Sweden.

Sofyan is the spokesman for GAM in Aceh Rayeuk, which covers Banda Aceh and the regency of Aceh Besar.

"The talks must take place outside the country and be supervised by a neutral party because Indonesia and Aceh must sit as two sovereign countries in the dialog."

Hasan Muhammad Tiro, known as Hasan Tiro or Hasan di Tiro, is the GAM top leader living in Sweden, and is extremely popular among Acehnese. Born in 1923, Hasan lives in an Acehnese community in the town of Nodsborg, some 20 kilometers south of Stockholm. He has been the president of the Aceh Sumatra National Liberation Front (ASNFL), or GAM, since 1976.

Hasan di Tiro declared "Aceh's independence" on Dec. 4, 1976.

Megawati changed her schedule to visit the restive province twice for unclear reasons before Susilo announced the final decision on Wednesday.

Indonesian Military and National Police will provide maximum security for the President's visit, Susilo said.

Ayah Sofyan said Megawati could not hold talks with any Acehnese figure in her attempt to solve the province's problems.

"Talks with groups of people, who claim to be Acehnese figures, are not valid," he said, adding that GAM could not trust anyone or any parties, except its top leader in Sweden, for dialogs with Indonesia.

Rector of Syiah Kuala University in Banda Aceh Dayan Dawood and chairman of the Muhammadiyah chapter of Aceh Teungku Imam Suja' offered to mediate a dialog between GAM and Indonesia.

Sofyan refused the offer, saying that GAM and Indonesia must sit as two sovereign states in the talks. "Therefore, the mediator must be an independent party."

Chairman of the second largest Muslim organization Muhammadiyah Syafii Ma'arif suggested here on Wednesday that Megawati cancel her trip to Aceh "if it is only a short visit".

"She should learn to take Aceh's problems seriously before visiting the province."

Despite the President's plan to visit Aceh, killing continued in the troubled province.

A 40-year-old teacher was found dead on Tuesday in North Aceh with gunshot wounds to her head and chest, police confirmed on Wednesday.

A member of the provincial legislative council (DPRD), Sulaiman Ishak, was killed on Sept. 1.

The volatile situation has led to the departure of other councillors, while the government has accused GAM of being behind the terrorism.

Ayah Sofyan strongly denied the accusation, saying that the councillors feared the operation conducted by the Indonesian Military and police intelligence. "They kill anybody who they think are Acehnese figures, like Sulaiman."

GAM has also denied attacking a vessel transporting coal, the Ocean Silver, in the Straits of Malacca on Aug. 25. The attackers are holding six of the 12 crew members hostage and demanding Rp 300 million in ransom.

Meanwhile, AFP reported from Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday that Malaysia would intensify patrols in the Straits of Malacca after threats of an attack by separatist guerrillas in Aceh.

The marine police will ensure vessels in the straits -- one of the world's busiest shipping lanes -- are safe, transport ministry parliamentary secretary Donald Lim told The Star newspaper.

GAM warned on Monday that ships using the Malacca Straits off Aceh's east coast should "seek permission" from the separatist group, AFP reported. (dja/50/44/sur)