Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Nationalist politicians back a proposed civil emergency and a likely tougher military action in conflict-ridden Aceh, but legislators from the province oppose such an approach as a means to wipe out separatist rebels.

Politicians contacted here yesterday said they feared that if the separatist movement in Aceh was not suppressed, it would spark the break-up of Indonesia. They also said they would support a tougher military operation.

The head of Parliament's Defence and Foreign Affairs Commission, Mr Ibrahim Ambong, said that he backed a tougher approach by the Indonesian Armed Forces because the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels were a threat to Indonesia and continued to carry out acts of violence.

This week, the government gave its clearest indication yet that it would take a stronger action in Aceh. Chief Security Minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, after a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, said for the first time that the government considered the separatists to be terrorists, and hinted that continuing peace talks with the rebels would be difficult.

He referred to a series of civilian abductions and accused GAM of being behind the murder of two local politicians in the last few months. Last week, GAM rebels kidnapped nine sportsmen and nine sailors in Aceh. But the hostages were all released yesterday, the military said.

Several Acehnese politicians in the national parliament said yesterday that they would not support a civil or military emergency in Aceh. They argued that the Acehnese have not forgotten being under military rule from 1989 to 1999, and that any move to declare a state of emergency would be very unpopular.

"The need of the Acehnese community is tranquility, not a declaration of emergency. If it is introduced, people will be tense and the governor is the one who will have to answer for the situation," said Mr Bachrum Manyak, a legislator from the regional parliament.

Analysts in Jakarta also feared that introducing a military emergency would disrupt the peace process and alienate many ordinary Acehnese. "A counter-insurgency operation should be one that wins the hearts and minds of the people more within the framework of the peace process, and include the rehabilitation of the previous victims," said military analyst Riefqi Muna.

GAM and the Indonesian government have been participating in sporadic peace talks for the past two years but without any agreement.

Mr Hasballah Saad, a former human rights minister, argued the money allocated for a military operation would be much better spent on developing the backward and now war-damaged province.

Meanwhile, Indonesia's Foreign Affairs spokesman Marty Natalegawa said that discussions about implementing a state of emergency did not mean Indonesia was unwilling to continue peace talks. "There are efforts at dialogue, efforts to increase prosperity in Aceh and certainly efforts or steps to guard security and stability in the province," he said yesterday.