Megawati apologises for human rights abuses

By staff and wires

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Indonesia's new leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, has apologized to the provinces of Aceh and Irian Jaya for decades of human rights abuses.

Outlining her vision for running Indonesia, Megawati promised to restore order but warned the two resource-rich regions at either end of the archipelago to abandon hopes of independence.

In a lengthy speech marking the anniversary of independence from Dutch colonial rule 56 years ago, Megawati told Indonesia's long-suffering people it would take time to drag the country out of four years of economic and political mayhem.

The daughter of Indonesia's founding father Sukarno took power more than three weeks ago but has said little about how she plans to steer the world's fourth most populous country out of its economic and social malaise.

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"Our multitude of crises certainly cannot be overcome all at once ... Only by (working together) can we gradually emerge from this time which has been very painful for us all," Megawati said in a nationally televised address to parliament.

Blunt assessment

The new leader pulled no punches in her assessment of Indonesia's myriad woes, adding that improving security and preventing any provinces from breaking away were among her top priorities.

She said gross human rights abuses committed by the military off the battlefield must be dealt with, although she also urged the armed forces to maintain the territorial integrity of the nation -- a pursuit that has often led soldiers into brutality.

Megawati promised to fight graft -- revealing she had asked her family to remain clean and ordered cabinet ministers to disclose their wealth.

Measures transferring control over finances to far-flung regions would remain in place, she added.

While Megawati apologized to the six million people living in misery in Aceh and Irian Jaya, she ruled out independence.

"We convey our deep apologies to our brothers who have long suffered as a result of inappropriate national policies," Megawati said, adding that an apology was not enough and had to be backed up by new initiatives.

No independence

Megawati made clear to the international community that the option given to East Timor to break free in 1999 was not open to Aceh or Irian, which only comprise a small portion of Indonesia's 210 million people, but where thousands have died during decades of struggle.

East Timor politician Jose Ramos-Horta has warned that unless Indonesia atones for human rights abuses in Aceh and Irian Jaya by the military, the two provinces would move inexorably towards secession.

Megawati said she hoped the people of Aceh and Irian Jaya would accept special autonomy packages on offer that would give them a greater say in running their own affairs.

"But one thing is clear. All this (special autonomy) will take place within the context of maintaining the integrity of the Republic of Indonesia," she said.

Both provinces are also key to Indonesia's economy, with Aceh rich in oil and gas and Irian Jaya famed for its mineral wealth.

No international support

Megawati told separatists they would never get support from foreign governments for their cause, and urged them to work together to develop Indonesia.

One of Megawati's biggest challenges will be to revive an economy savaged by the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s.

Her speech largely sidestepped any specific plans to woo back investors and rebuild the banking sector, although she is expected to give a separate account on the economy and the budget to parliament next month.

Many analysts also expect the president to leave many details to the economic professionals that stud her new cabinet.

Indonesia actually marks its 56th independence anniversary from some 350 years of Dutch rule on Friday.

Reuters contributed to this report.