Indonesia has agreed to allow its troubled
Aceh province to introduce Islamic, or sharia
law - a key demand of the staunchly Muslim
territory.
The announcement
came as Indonesian
police stepped up
security in the
province, and removed
hundreds of separatist
flags put up to mark
the 24th anniversary of
the independence
struggle.
Aceh governor Abdullah
Puteh told reporters
that President
Abdurrahman Wahid
had agreed to the introduction of sharia law
during a meeting in Jakarta.
He said the president would visit the province
on 15 December to celebrate Nuzulul Quran,
the beginning of the Muslim holy book.
"[The president]
will...declare the
implementation of
sharia law in Aceh"
when he visits, the
governor said.
Although strict sharia
law can include
punishments such as
stoning and chopping
the hands off thiefs, its
implementation in Aceh
would probably involve bringing in Islamic
banking, its own education system and
generally more conservative moral policies.
Mr Wahid, who also announced a $10m aid
package for the province two days ago, has
previously offered Aceh a referendum on
implementing sharia law.
Flags flying
Patrols and troops had been beefed up in Aceh
as the authorities warned they would crack
down on any celebrations to mark the founding
of the Free Aceh Movement on 4 December
1976.
Reports from the
provincial capital,
Banda Aceh, said the
mood was calm and
residents had gathered
at mosques to pray for
peace.
The official Antara
news agency reported
that thousands of the
banned red Aceh flags
were flying across the
province.
Irian Jaya tension
The authorities have also bolstered security in
the restive easterly province of Irian Jaya,
where independence leaders have been under
arrest.
Reports said warships
had been deployed in
waters around the
province.
"The 37 warships are...
taking part in [training
exercises] but are also
prepared to help police in taking down the
Morning Star [separatist] flag," eastern navy
fleet spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ditya
Sumarsono was quoted as saying by the
Antara news agency.
In neighbouring Papua New Guinea (PNG),
patrols had been stepped up across the jungle
border with Irian Jaya, the authorities said on
Monday.
"We are forced to be
on alert," PNG Prime
Minister Sir Mekere
Morauta said, adding
that any rebels found
would be repatriated.
He stressed that,
despite cultural ties
with Irian Jaya, his
government respected
the sovereignty of
Indonesia.
The people of PNG are
ethnically the same as in Irian Jaya, both being
Melanesian as opposed to Malays who make up
the majority in Indonesia.