Megawati calls for a quick end to Aceh fighting

[bemildred]

Indonesia's President Megawati Soekarnoputri says she wants a quick end to the vicious war in Aceh,
which has claimed more than 1200 lives in the past five months.

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When martial law was declared, some senior army officers predicted the largest build-up of military forces
since the invasion of East Timor would be enough to crush the separatist movement called GAM in as
little as three months.

Since then the military has experienced the same problems defeating the guerilla army it has had over the
past 27 years, battling guerillas who hide in the heavy forests and mountainous terrain and force villagers
to provide them with food and money.

Last week the commander of the Aceh campaign, General Endang Suwarya, told Tempo newspaper that
he saw no quick end to the fighting.


TheAgeAu

Another one:

INDONESIA: Aceh war draining resources; minister

ndonesia's Co-ordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, has admitted that the war his government is fighting in Aceh
province is draining his country's economy. The Minister who is number three in
the Indonesian political hierachy, and a possible candidate in next year's
presidential race, justified the government's military offensive against GAM rebels
fighting for a separate state in Aceh.