THE two-story ivory house in Lamteumen, Banda Aceh, is tightly guarded. Ten police officers are at the front gate. In the house’s yard, three men sit in a guardhouse. “Paduka yang Mulia Wali (His Majesty, the Head) cannot yet receive guests,” a guard told Tempo on Wednesday two weeks ago.

“His Majesty” is Teungku Hasan Muhammad di Tiro, President of the National Liberation Front of Acheh Sumatra (NLFAS), an organization better known as