Indonesia military forces plan to launch a military campaign against the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) next week, after making Monday a non-negotiable deadline for GAM to abandon its 26-year fight for a separate state. In the past month a ceasefire agreement in December has continued to unravel, and the Indonesian Government and military are making increasingly explicit threats daily that a full-scale campaign is all but inevitable. Yesterday the Foreign Minister, Hassan Wirayuda, became the latest cabinet member to warn that Monday was the critical day for GAM to drop its main claim and agree to hand over weapons as a pre-condition for renewed peace talks. “If, by May 12, we are certain that a joint council meeting cannot be commenced, then we are ready to launch the joint operation,” Mr Wirayuda said. He stressed the “joint operation” would also include “humanitarian aid, law enforcement and empowerment of local government administration” but the overwhelming emphasis would be on the military campaign. Full Story
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