Jakarta – The Aceh Party, the leading local party in Aceh whose members mostly include former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) combatants, has denied it was still seeking Aceh's secession from Indonesia.

According to international and local observers, the party's leaders told their supporters during campaigning activities if they won the April 9 legislative elections, Aceh would be free from Indonesia.

"It is not true. We didn't set the party up to proclaim independence, but to implement what the Helsinki memorandum of understanding (MOU) stated, which is that former GAM members can set up a political party," the spokesman of the Aceh Party, Adnan Bransyah, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. "That means we are still part of Indonesia," he added.

The 2005 Helsinki peace agreement resolved years of separatist conflict in the resource-rich province. The presence of local parties in Aceh was one of the prerogatives the Indonesian government agreed to, following the signing of the Helsinki pact.

Adnan, who is also a former GAM member, said Aceh was part of Indonesia and that nothing would be done to separate Aceh from the country.

The Aceh Party said it currently had more than 50,000 members across the province and had set up 23 branch offices in cities and regencies.

According to the International Crisis Group (ICG), the Indonesian Military believes GAM still wants Aceh's independence, despite former members setting up a local party to contest the elections.

The World Bank also revealed some Aceh Party campaigners reportedly circulating leaflets stating their party was the only legitimate local party according to the MOU, and making promises that a victory in April would lead to a referendum on independence.

According to World Bank coordinator for the Aceh post-conflict program, Muslahuddin, the party said Aceh would be independent through a referendum in 2013.

"According to our report, the Aceh Party has declared itself the only legitimate party in the province, while five other local parties were illegitimate," Muslahuddin said in a recent interview.

The five other local parties are the People's Aceh Party (PRA), the Acehnese People's Independent Aspiration (SIRA), the United Aceh Party, the Aceh Sovereignty Party (PDA) and the Safe and Prosperous Aceh Party (PAAS).

Some reports showed the Aceh Party, aiming to dominate the provincial council, was most likely behind several intimidation attacks against other local parties' supporters.

Three days ago, SIRA party supporters were beaten up by other party supporters during the campaigning period in Aceh Barat Daya Regency. PRA supporters also received death threats from unidentified party members several days ago in Bireun, North Aceh.

Adnan denied accusations that his party had intimidated other party members.

The Iskandar Muda military command's spokesman, Major Dudi Dzulfadli, acknowledged several violations had occurred in Aceh recently. (naf)