Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – The dispute between factions of former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members may escalate following a coordination meeting held by ex-guerrilla leaders to form a political counterweight to Aceh Party (PA), a local party founded by former combatants after a peace agreement was signed in Helsinki in 2005.

Incumbent Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusif gathered 12 of the 17 ex-GAM commanders and about 500 former fighters from across Aceh at the meeting at the Hermes Palace Hotel in Banda Aceh on Thursday.

The meeting was meant to garner support from GAM commanders for Tengku Agam or Irwandi Yusuf, and to discuss the possibility of establishing another local party, aimed at accommodating the political aspirations of former GAM members who are not included in the Aceh Party.

On Jan. 29, 2012, the Aceh Transition Committee (KPA), which bands together former GAM members to support the gubernatorial candidacy of Zaini Abdulah and running mate Muzakir Manaf, held a consolidation meeting to discuss strategies for the upcoming regional election.

Thursday's meeting apparently intended to counter the KPA's January meeting, and to display widespread support for Irwandi.

"We invite all former GAM combatants, who are no longer affiliated to any organization, after being fired by the Aceh Party and the KPA, to discuss steps to be taken to settle the political chaos in Aceh," said Sofyan Dawood, the former GAM guerrilla commander from Pasee region.

According to Sofyan, the decision to fire the former GAM combatants from the KPA has forced them to consider establishing a new local party as a form of resistance to domination of the Aceh Party by their colleagues.

"I have to emphasize that we who are present here used to be the real fighters in the field to defend Aceh, while those in the Aceh Party are newcomers who appeared only after a peace agreement was signed," Sofyan said.

As the rift within the Aceh Party has grown, a number of former GAM combatants have been dismissed from their positions within the party for their support of Irwandi's candidacy.

"They were fired as traitors simply because they backed me up," Irwandi said.

Irwandi further said that the Thursday meeting was also intended to head off any electoral violence and maintain the fragile peace already existing in Aceh.