Indonesia's new leader outlined her vision for running the troubled nation yesterday, promising to restore order and apologizing to the rebellious provinces of Aceh and Irian Jaya for decades of human rights abuses.
But in her first major speech since taking office last month, Megawati Sukarnoputri told the two resource-rich regions at each end of the archipelago they would never be allowed to break away.
In a lengthy speech marking the anniversary of independence from Dutch colonial rule 56 years ago today, she warned Indonesians it would take time to drag the giant country out of one of the most dire periods in its history.
"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," she said in an address to parliament that was broadcast nationwide.
A rare public speaker, Megawati's style was a far cry from the jokey, and at times confrontational, banter of her predecessor whom legislators sacked last month for incompetence.
The daughter of Indonesia's charismatic founding father Sukarno took power more than three weeks ago but this was the first time she spelled out her policies to the country.
And even then, she offered few specifics on how she hoped to rescue the economy, whose collapse four years ago pushed millions of Indonesians into abject poverty where they remain.
She promised to focus on the most fundamental issues such as law and order so the world's fourth largest population can lead normal lives.
The taciturn 54-year-old pulled no punches in her assessment of Indonesia's myriad woes, saying it was vital to prevent the giant archipelago from breaking apart.
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 to brutality.
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