Pulo Aceh – Social Affairs Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah said the people of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) province should be brave and act against separatist rebels in order to restore security.

"It is not only the Indonesian military/police but all the components of Aceh society who are responsible for the restoration of security in the province," the minister said before thousands of people here Wednesday.

The minister came here along with Research and Technology Minister M Hatta Radjasa to visit people in remote Lapeng village in Pulau Aceh islands, some 16 miles from Aceh's provincial capital of Banda Aceh.