Military

DATE=05/14/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-303187

TITLE=INDONESIA/ACEH (L-O)

BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN

DATELINE=JAKARTA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The chances of salvaging the peace process in Indonesia's Aceh Province seemed more remote Wednesday, as international ceasefire monitors began leaving the country. The move came just before a government decision on whether to resume military action against separatist rebels in Aceh, and to declare martial law there. Patricia Nunan reports.

Text: The 53 monitors, predominantly from Thailand, Norway and the Philippines, had already been pulled back from Aceh Province as a precaution on Monday. That was the original deadline set by the Indonesian government for rebels of the Free Aceh Movement to abide by a December peace agreement, or face new military action.

Wednesday, officials of the Henry Dunant Center said the monitors have begun leaving Indonesia altogether. The Center had brokered the peace agreement between the government and the separatist rebels.

The government did extend the Monday deadline by three days, but it also raised the stakes. Officials now say talks with Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri, scheduled for Thursday, will focus on whether the government should impose martial law in Aceh.

The Henry Dunant Center is still expressing hope that the two sides can be brought back to the negotiating table. So are the rebels.

A rebel spokesman, Nashiruddin, says the only hope for peace is further talks between GAM, the Indonesian initials of the Free Aceh Movement, and the R-I, short for the Republic of Indonesia.

/// ACT NASHIRUDDIN ///

Because no one wins, everyone will lose - not just only GAM and R-I.. I think negotiation is the only solution.

//// END ACT ///

The rebels and the government both signed the peace agreement on December 9th, but the two sides have very different interpretations of what it means.

The government is willing to grant Aceh considerable autonomy, but says the rebels have to drop their demands for full independence. The rebels say they retain the right to break free of Indonesian rule in the future.

More than 10-thousand people have died in sporadic fighting between the two sides since 1976. (Signed)

NEB/HK/PN/BK