Iwan Triono/FW & LM, Jakarta – 350 activists from the Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA) demonstrated at the House of Representatives building, Central Jakarta, Wednesday demanding that a referendum be held immediately in the troubled province of Aceh.

Tensions rose in a brief meeting with MPs from Aceh as the activists charged that they had utterly failed to protect and fight for the interests of Acehnese people. They demanded that the Aceh Provincial Legislative (DPRD) and Aceh Local Administration (Pemda) be dismissed and claimed that the MPs in the national parliament could no longer speak or act on behalf of the Acehnese.

Security guards stepped in when the activists became aggressive. One MP was chased by several SIRA activists but a security guard managed to secure the unlucky MP. A SIRA activist claimed that they chased several MPs, apparently representatives from strife-torn Aceh, because they had never fought for the Acehnese. Several activists also started kicking a glass door at the Nusantara III Building. Before breaking the door, security guards stepped in to guard it.

Karimun, an Aceh representative from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), tried to hold a dialogue with SIRA activitists but they refused him unless he took off his coat. "If you want the dialogue, take off your coat," an activist shouted at him.

At the time of publication, SIRA was still demonstrating and delivering orations at the Nusantara III Parliament building, Central Jakarta. They also unfolded a banner reading "Referendum For Aceh."