A quiet word on Aceh

A quiet word on Aceh

In assisting Indonesia after the tsunami disaster it is essential that Australians acknowledge that they are there to help, not lead, the recovery effort.

For Indonesian officialdom and opinion makers to decide the Australian government was sticking its bib into their country's internal affairs would erode all the goodwill the aid effort can create.

But the need to respect national sensitivities cuts both ways. The Indonesian government needs to understand that for its army to continue operations against insurgents in the stricken Sumatran province of Aceh would make it hard for the Australian government to justify at home the massive aid effort now under way.

Certainly, Jakarta's sensitivities over Aceh, where there has been fighting for almost 30 years, are entirely understandable. But this does not mean John Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer cannot have a quiet word with President Yudhoyono, explaining the reasons why there must be peace in Aceh. As a friend, Australia has no authority to direct but every right to advise. And tomorrow's aid summit in Jakarta gives them an excellent opportunity to do so.

-- The Australian, Sydney