My brothers and sisters in Aceh, please be patient. When Cut Nyak (an Acehnese female royal form of address) leads this country, I will not tolerate even a drop of blood of the people to spill on `Tanah Rencong' (Land of the Curved Dagger, a traditional name for Aceh)."

Megawati Sukarnoputri pronounced this gallant message in an animated speech on 29 July 1999, marking the victory of her party in that year's general elections.

Megawati