Khabar Southeast Asia

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Aceh separatists rally in support of separate flag

April 09, 2013

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia – Thousands of people attended another rally Sunday (April 7th) in support of a maintaining a separate flag and coat of arms for the province of Aceh, local media reported.

Aceh Deputy Governor Muzakir Manaf said Saturday that the flag – depicting a crescent and star – symbolised the struggles and sacrifices of the Acehnese and should be designated as the Aceh flag, The Jakarta Post reported.

The flag belongs to the now-defunct Free Aceh Movement (GAM), of which Muzakir is a former commander.

Residents of central and southeast Aceh are mostly members of the Gayo ethnic group, who reject any use of the GAM flag and are threatening to secede from Aceh and form a new province.

The central government also rejects the idea of a separate flag for Aceh, though Muzakir claims the right was in effect granted under the Helsinki Peace Accord.

He met with the Minister of Home Affairs on Thursday and, according to detik.com, told supporters, "In the near future, I will come to Jakarta to meet with the president."

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