(25 Jan 2000) Indonesian/Nat
Indonesia's President has angrily accused groups of disgruntled army generals and radical Muslims of provoking bloody violence across the sprawling Southeast Asian nation.
Abdurrahman Wahid made his comments during a visit to the troubled Aceh province on Tuesday, in an effort to calm the situation there.
A separatist battle has raged for decades in Aceh, and on the day of the President's visit several rebels and soldiers were killed in a gun battle.
Heavy security on the streets of Aceh in Indonesia.
The Indonesian police were taking no chances on this troubled province on Tuesday.
Their President, Abdurrahman Wahid was due to visit in an attempt to stop ongoing violence here.
People here are spilt in opinion - some wanting independence from Jakarta and others fiercely loyal to the government led by Wahid.
And hundreds of people have died in the battle between them in the three months since Wahid was appointed head of state.
Just hours before he made his first presidential visit to Aceh, six marines and three separatist guerrillas were killed in two gun battles.
During his visit, the President spoke out angrily against those behind the violence.
He blamed disgruntled Generals and extremist Muslims for inciting the violence.
Wahid also warned that some supporters of his ruling coalition were threatening a ruthless crackdown against the troublemakers if the violence continues.
But despite the continuing carnage, Wahid stood by his earlier prediction that he could end the fighting by the end of March.
As part of this effort, the President took part in a peacemaking ritual on Tuesday involving student protesters and police in Sabang.
Islamic prayers were said for the President during the ceremony.
Later in the day Wahid made a speech.
He said the fighting would only stop if ordinary people could once again trust authorities to enforce the rule of law, which he said had been abused by a repressive military for many years.
SOUNDBITE: (Indonesian)
"We know that most the problem has to do with the government apparatus"
SUPER CAPTION: Abdurrahman Wahid, Indonesian President
Wahid said that the army should not defend members of the security forces accused of human rights abuses in Aceh and elsewhere.
SOUNDBITE: (Indonesian)
"Don't even try and protect the TNI. If we bring one of them to court we bring them not as the TNI, we bring them as a person."
SUPER CAPTION: Abdurrahman Wahid, Indonesian President
Wahid also took the opportunity to restore to Sabang the status of a free port and tax-free zone.
This was revoked in 1986 by Indonesia's former strongman President Suharto in a move that severely depressed the economy of the island.
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