Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – The Indonesian navy is stepping up patrols in the Straits of Malacca to block supplies to separatist rebels in Aceh, while President Megawati Sukarnoputri pursues a political solution to the conflict by summoning Acehnese community leaders to Jakarta yesterday.
At least 22 political and religious leaders have been hurriedly summoned for the official delivery of Aceh's autonomy law today. The new law returns 70 per cent of profits from Aceh's oil and gas fields to the province, and allows for direct elections of the governor and local parliament.
The Indonesian navy's latest operation was aimed at blocking arms supply to the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), said Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Indroko Sastrowiryono, who ordered the move.
In the past, GAM rebels had smuggled arms from Thailand and Malaysia. "The isolation operation must be carried out well so that room for GAM's movement could be narrowed and their logistic supplies would in time run out," Adm Indroko told the Antara news agency.
Jakarta launched a military operation against the rebels in April. However, a diplomat said that Ms Megawati was reviewing the operation authorised by former President Abdurrahman Wahid. Diplomats are concerned that it has contributed to the high civilian death toll, which reached 1,100 this year.
In the industrial city of Lhokseumawe, home to Exxon Mobil oil fields, Lt-Colonel Firdaus said the armed forces had stepped up patrols as they feared attacks from the separatist movement on or before Indonesia's Independence Day this Friday.
"We think GAM may bother the community because we have a recent case of bombing. They have threatened the schools by telling them not to operate tomorrow," said Lt-Col Firdaus, referring to the bombing of the government education office.
Local residents say the atmosphere in Banda Aceh has been tense as the military and local government had conducted a campaign to force residents to mark Independence Day by raising Indonesia's national flag every day for the last month.
Meanwhile, Aceh's main daily newspaper has folded temporarily under pressure from GAM rebels who accused it of biased coverage of the largest massacre in the past two years. The newspaper blamed GAM for a massacre of at least 31 plantation workers last Thursday. GAM accused the military of the killing.