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Indonesia accuses foreign powers of being meddlesome

Indonesia yesterday accused the US, the EU and Japan of "meddling" in its internal affairs after they voiced concern over the extension of martial law and military operations in Aceh province.

The three issued a statement on Thursday urging Jakarta to work toward a "political solution" to the 27-year-old war in Aceh province, and said they hoped the current military offensive would end soon.

"The statement issued by the parties ... is regrettable because it was out of place and could be construed as meddling," foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said, reading from a statement.

The US, the EU and Japan sponsored talks between the separatist Free Aceh Movement and Jakarta that led to a ceasefire earlier this year. Jakarta pulled out of the deal in May, imposed martial law in the province and launched a massive military offensive to crush the rebellion. So far, more than 1,000 people have been killed.

On Thursday, Jakarta announced a six-month extension of operations in the province on the western tip of Sumatra island.

Natalegawa rejected an offer of help from the three to help in resolving the conflict.

"The humanitarian problem in Aceh cannot be resolved merely by foreign parties," he said. "The Indonesian government has enough resources and confidence to overcome the problem."

Rights activists have warned that the extension of military operations will likely fuel the rebellion, one of several that threaten to divide Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country.
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