The Hindu : Crackdown on Aceh rebels imminent

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 15, 2003

International

International

Crackdown on Aceh rebels imminent

BANDA ACEH ( Indonesia) MAY 14. Indonesian troops patrolled the restive province of Aceh on Wednesday and peace monitors began leaving the country, a day before the Government was expected to announce a sweeping crackdown on separatists and possibly declare martial law.

"The order for the military offensive looks imminent," said a local official. "We're just waiting."

Conflict now looms after the Free Aceh Movement ignored a Government deadline to disarm by Monday, drop its long-held claims of independence and accept a regional autonomy package.

The rebels have said they were prepared to fight and resume a 26-year conflict that already has killed nearly 12,000 people.

But they and international negotiators said there was still room for compromise and efforts continued to salvage a five-month-old peace agreement. "Both leaders are open still leaving the door open for dialogue," said David Gorman from the Geneva-based Henry Dunant Centre, which brokered the agreement and is in Aceh.

"We hope that we can avert a return to hostilities. We're going to stay here until all options are exhausted."

The two sides signed a peace agreement Dec. 9 but the pact has unravelled in recent weeks. Rebels last week issued a statement calling on fighters to return to their bases and international peace monitors were relocated Monday to nearby Medan as a precaution.

Mr. Gorman said the 53 Thai, Filipino and Norwegian monitors began leaving for their respective countries on Wednesday with the remainder to depart on Thursday.

Their replacements would wait until the two sides settle their differences, he said. — AP

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