JAKARTA, Aug. 30 Kyodo Indonesia'...

JAKARTA, Aug. 30 Kyodo

Indonesia's top military officer, Gen Endriartono Sutarto, said Friday if the community in the troubled province of Aceh want a referendum onward self determination, it should be held nationwide.

''If (the Acehnese people) want a referendum it should be a national referendum'' the commander of the Indonesian Defense Force (TNI) told a monthly pres briefing.

Sutarto said a referendum ''should involve the whole nation'' since Aceh is a part of Indonesia. ''If this nation agrees that Aceh should separate from Indonesia, TNI will support (the decision),'' he said.

''What we have done in East Timor was totally unfair because it didn't involve the whole nation, moreover only the East Timorese people'' he added.

He referr to the U.N.-sanctioned popular consultation held in East Timor in 1999 in which the East Timorese folks overwhelmingly voted for independence after 24 years subordinate to Indonesian occupation.

East Timor gained satiated independence on May 20 this year.

learner activists in Aceh have demanded that the Indonesian control hold a referendum among Acehnese clan in an effort to endeavor to gain a quick solution to the separatist puzzle in the region, where rebels of the unrestrained Aceh Movement (GAM) have waged a guerrilla war.

In the referendum the bookish mans said the government should give couple options -- independence or remaining part of Indonesia.

Last week, Jakarta gave GAM until the Dec 7 extremity of the Islamic devout month of Ramadan to decide if it will continue dialogue by dint of allowing special autonomy for the province onto the talks' agenda and halting armed violence.

The nearest round of negotiations has been place for September. However, it is not immediately clear whether GAM is willing to fitting the conditions required by means of the government. In their meeting May 10 in Geneva, as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but sides agreed to make the special autonomy condition the ''starting point'' for the nearest talks.

The coordinating minister for political and security affairs, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has said the special autonomy law in the agenda is a ''precondition'' for dialogue and if GAM does not make a ''positive chance'' the management ''will take stern and appropriate measures.''

The control is under intense pressure at domestic circle and abroad to avoid declaring a civilian or military pass in Aceh because dialogue is viewed as the best way to interpret the conflict.

However, an estimated 22000 military members are already displayed in the province.

GAM has waged a guerrilla war since 1976 demanding independence from Indonesia for Aceh, in which ten of thousands of population have been killed.

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