Achmad Sukarsono, Jakarta – Indonesia warned against foreign meddling on Friday after the United States, Europe and Japan expressed concern over Jakarta's decision to extend martial law in rebellious Aceh province.
Indonesia extended martial law in Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra island, for six months on Thursday and shortly afterwards the three main aid donors issued a joint statement saying they hoped the emergency would end as soon as possible.
"The statement issued by the parties ... is regrettable because it was out of place and leading to meddling," Foreign Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa told reporters.
While agreeing with Jakarta that Aceh is an integral part of Indonesia, the three powers have tried to encourage a political solution since last year, promising aid as an incentive.
They sponsored talks between Jakarta and the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Tokyo, which collapsed in May. Jakarta then imposed martial law in the war-torn province and launched a big police and military operation to crush the rebels within six months.
The spokesman said the United States, Europe and Japan should press the rebels to surrender. "International support on the territorial integrity of Indonesia should have been shown by pressing GAM to lay down their weapons," Natalegawa said.
Chief security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said the six-month extension, aimed at finishing off GAM, would be re-evaluated monthly and could be cut short or extended. He also said an economic recovery programme would be included in the Aceh operation and the government would pardon GAM members who surrender.
Megawati has received broad political support for her Aceh policies. But in a sign that could fade as the operation grinds on, parliament speaker Akbar Tandjung called for the lifting of martial law before the country's 2004 elections. "How can a democratic process be done in a martial law environment? That's a contradiction," he told reporters.
Indonesia holds parliamentary elections on April 5, 2004, to be followed by a presidential election on July 5.
Aceh Vice Governor Azwar Abubakar told Reuters this week he was optimistic the major parties would compete in a lively election campaign in the province, but there would be no room for pro-independence candidates.
The Aceh offensive involves about 45,000 military and police against an estimated 5,000 rebels. GAM has been fighting for 27 years, surviving numerous offensives. Before the latest offensive, about 10,000 people, most of them civilians, had been killed.
The military says it has killed or captured nearly 2,000 GAM members in the latest offensive but casualty figures are difficult to verify because of restricted access to the province.
[With additional reporting by Telly Nathalia.]