Titis Setianingtyas, Jakarta – The First Minister of GAM (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka) Malik Mahmud Al Haytar has declared that the introduction of Syariat Islam in Aceh is not welcomed by the Acehnese.

"What we want is a peace and pluralism for the Acehnese," Malik told journalists, after speaking at an international conference to mark the first anniversary of the Aceh peace agreement at Hotel Shangri-la Jakarta, on Monday evening.

He said that GAM's struggle was not based on religious principles and this is still the position today. GAM has nothing to do with things that have been happening in Aceh recently. "It think this is not what the Acehnese people want," he said.

Malik went on to say that Islam in Aceh has always been traditional Islam. "Islam has been the religion of the Acehnese for a very long time.'

He said that this was the first time he had heard about the use of caning as a form of punishment in Aceh. This has never been a part of the tradition of Islam in Aceh.