Tomi Soetjipto, Banda Aceh – Wearing a bullet-proof vest, Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid visited the bloodied province of Aceh on Tuesday and urged separatists to join in developing the country.
In a frank and at times humorous speech to religious leaders and diplomats at the Grand Mosque in the provincial capital Banda Aceh, Wahid expressed his frustration at his failure to bring peace to Aceh.
"As the president, I feel the most bitter because I could not change this. If I was not a Muslim, I would have committed suicide because of the bitterness," he said, drawing giggles.
Thousands have died in decades of pro-independence rebellion, but there are fears independence through an East Timor-style ballot could trigger Indonesia's disintegration by setting off a domino effect in other separatist areas.
Wahid adopted an overall conciliatory tone during his four-hour visit, blaming security forces for creating enemies among Acehnese with operations that treated the innocent as foes.
The Muslim cleric also turned on his trademark humour, frequently sending ripples of laughter through the cavernous and elaborate mosque during a 30-minute speech that few expect will make much headway in healing the territory's festering wounds.
But the reaction was sceptical, with residents saying they would not believe the government until they saw action. "Acehnese do not care about the promises anymore. Just wait and see how it looks on the ground," one local man said. Another man, Nazar, said: "Before the government gives any statements, the people of Aceh want to see action. Personally, I don't care [about Wahid's speech]."
Underscoring the woes facing Wahid in Aceh, 1,700 km northwest of Jakarta, two small explosions shook the local capital before he arrived for the brief trip. Wahid said police ordered him to wear the bullet-proof vest.
Just before Wahid left for Jakarta, there were rumours rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) might meet him at the local airport. No meeting took place, officials said. Rebels last week warned Wahid his Jakarta opponents might try to assassinate him during the visit, then seek to blame GAM.
"We have been treating GAM as enemies. That's wrong. They are our brothers. We should build our nation together," he said. "The Acehnese do not defend the government because ... of fears of past and current military operations. I ask all state apparatus to stop treating people as foes. Treat them as friends," Wahid said at a religious ceremony in the mosque.
The deaths of thousands of mainly civilians in military operations during the 1990s under the harsh rule of former President Suharto have combined with economic exploitation of the province to leave much bitterness.
Wahid's key plank for soothing tensions revolves around greater autonomy for the province's four million people, expected to be implemented next May. He has ruled out independence.
The well-armed rebels, believed to number in the thousands, insist on independence, raising the spectre of more bloodshed.
GAM fighters have regularly clashed with security forces in recent months, casting a pall over a ceasefire that took effect in June and which expires on January 15.
Indonesia has threatened a crackdown if a new round of peace talks, delayed since November, failed to take place by then, although Wahid left open the possibility of more talks whether the ceasefire is extended or not.
"We will keep on talking [with GAM] so Aceh can be peaceful and free in the framework of the Republic of Indonesia," Wahid said, in vague remarks that run counter to tough warnings being issued by government and military officials in Jakarta.
It also contradicts Wahid's increasingly hardline stance on separatism, which is just one of the many nightmares confronting the mercurial Muslim cleric who has struggled to bring order to the world's fourth most populous country.
About 2,500 troops and police imposed tight security for Wahid's visit to the resource-rich province on the northwestern tip of Sumatra island. Indeed, Wahid chided police for making it difficult for people to enter the Grand Mosque, a well-known landmark. The mosque was relatively empty.
In fresh violence, four bodies with bullet wounds were found on Monday in North Aceh's district of Bireuen, a hospital worker said. At least 10 people were also killed over the weekend. No one has claimed responsibility for the killings.
There was little tension in Banda Aceh, with many residents choosing to stay home because of the restrictions on movement. Wahid's trip to Banda Aceh was his first since becoming president 14 months ago. He visited Aceh's key port last January.