No reason for GAM to exist: VP

No reason for GAM to exist: VP

JAKARTA: Vice President Hamzah Haz said there was no reason for the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to exist now as the government had paid special heed to the Nangroe Aceh Darussalam province.

GAM was instead expected to develop Indonesia along with other Indonesian people, the vice president said at a function commemorating the 29th anniversary of the United Development Party (PPP) in Cirebon, West Java, on Sunday.

Hamzah, who is also PPP's general chair, said the central government had paid special attention to Aceh among others on the implementation of the traditional law and the Islamic law as well as natural resources specially earmarked for the province.

According to Hamzah, the New Order government (during former president Soeharto) had paid less attention to development in the Indonesian westernmost province making the local people oppose the former government.

In Cirebon, the vice president had also the occasion to meet local ulemas and students of an Islamic boarding school, Pondok Pesantren Buntet. -- Antara