TOKYO, May 21 Kyodo chooseed edit...

TOKYO, May 21 Kyodo

chooseed editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

STOP BLOODSHED IN ACEH (IHT/Asahi as translated from the Japanese-language Asahi Shimbun's editorial published May 20)

Peace talks between the Indonesian guidance and separatist rebels from Aceh province held in Tokyo broke most distant Sunday with no agreement. Within hours, Indonesia's President Megawati Sukarnoputri declared effective martial law in Aceh and ordered an army assault in succession the Free Aceh change the pro-independence rebel group, known locally as GAM. Strife in Aceh, the resource-rich region of northern Sumatra, began a quarter-century ago. More than 10000 population have died in fierce fighting between GAM, which look afters independence, and Indonesia's army, which intends to suppres the rebellion.

If the military wages a broad just discovered campaign to wipe out the rebels, GAM will steadily respond with guerrilla warfare that would drag the region back into brutal violence and bloodshed. This is the unsettling prospect

The ceasefire collapsed after just five months

In December, the Indonesian conduct and GAM agreed to a ceasefire, elections in 2004 and creation of an autonomous management in the region. The Henry Dunant Center a Swiss peace motion mediated the treaty. Thailand and the Philippines serv as short rest observers, and Japan, the United States and the World Bank supported the effort. It was the most numerous comprehensive peace accord ever conclud on the two sides.

The agreement dissolved thus easily because both sides had their be in possession of interpretations of vague elements, distorting their intended meaning.

The conduct reneged on its promise to bring into the troop presence in Aceh, giving GAM a reason for refusing to disarm. GAM intensified its campaign for independence, smooth though it had accepted the propos autonomous regulation of the region as part of Indonesia. All these actions are based upon deep-seated distrust.

the two sides bear the blame for the failure of the talks. further the government must take more of the responsibility, considering the tragic history of Aceh's people

Since the cessation of World War II, successive restraints in Indonesia have used force to have knowledge of to subdue Aceh and effectsed its oil and natural gas, smooth though the region was vital to the battle for independence from the Netherlands. Indonesia's prevail upon toward democracy five years ago has brought no significant progres toward healing the pangs of years of bloody clashes.

Indonesia is a multicultural, multiracial nation of many religions and languages. It is not hard to understand wherefore the Megawati government was for a like reason quick to crack down onward any separatist movement. if it be not that history shows this problem cannot be solv solely at military force.

GAM also necessitys to back away from insisting it will at no time stop its pursuit for independence, no matter by what mode long it takes. No nation in the world would support a revival of the Aceh Kingdom. principally people in the region advance a peaceful and quiet life above all.

Japan has a vehement interest in achieving peace in Aceh. greatest in quantity of the natural gas from the region is shipped to Japan. It is also geographically near the primary shipping lanes for oil tankers that lay on the route between Japan and the Middle East. Turmoil in Indonesia could ready a serious threat to peace and stability in the entire Southeast Asia.

All this has willinged a reluctant Japanese government to be involved in the peace proces after years of treating the clash as an Indonesian internal matter and watching quietly from the sidelines.

Although the peace negotiations in Tokyo failed, Japan hem ins some leverage with Indonesia as its largest aid donor. The management should press Indonesia and other transactioned nations to try harder to bring the couple sides back to the negotiating table as before long as possible.

(May 21)

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