President promises reconstruction

The Indonesian president visited Banda Aceh's main mosque yesterday to express solidarity with tsunami victims, while the army claimed to have killed 120 rebels in local clashes since the disaster.

On a visit timed for Eid al-Adha, the Muslim festival, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono promised to rebuild devastated areas of Aceh, the Sumatran province worst affected.

"We are now developing a masterplan ... we will ... build infrastructure, build roads and revive the people's economy," he said.

He also pointed out that there could be foreigners - including troops - still present on Indonesian soil beyond the March 26 date touted last week as a deadline for the vast foreign relief effort to end." After March 26 there might still be an international presence, the equipment, the personnel or the expertise that are needed to continue the works," he said.

His posture contrasts with that of his vice-president, Yusuf Kalla, and the armed forces, who more readily play the nationalist card. Eager to re-assert its control over Aceh, which was closed because of military operations against rebels before the tsunami hit, the army said it had killed 120 separatists since the disaster. No independent confirmation of the figure was available, but sporadic outbursts of shooting indicate that the struggle to control Aceh continues.

Separatists led by the Free Aceh Movement say that they are holding to a ceasefire and only fire in self-defence.

Indonesia's foreign ministry said on Thursday that it hoped for new peace talks before the end of the month.

Analysts say that how well the government delivers relief and sympathy to the Acehnese will determine how sympathetic the local people remain to the separatist cause.