Aceh rebel offer worth pondering

The offer by the Aceh separatists for a ceasefire with the Indonesian army in the wake of the tsunami disaster in northern Sumatra was cynical. It was a shameless and manipulative device aimed almost entirely at gaining attention and sympathy for the illegal and dangerous Free Aceh Movement known as GAM.

But the ceasefire offer is also a great idea that the authorities in Jakarta should have thought of. It is encouraging they are responding, and seek to turn disaster relief into a beneficial peace for Aceh. Hostilities in Aceh effectively ceased on the morning of Dec. 26 anyhow.

Now Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla says the government wants to turn the ceasefire into a permanent truce. This is encouraging. Neither the army nor the rebels have made gains in the wake of the disaster.

The decision by the government to offer even more than GAM is welcome news, and any peace profit goes to the people of Aceh in any case.

There are times to use strong security and military measures against threats to national unity. This is not one. While no GAM attack or threat should go unanswered, Jakarta must remain militarily passive. There is a strong possibility some good can emerge, with the help of the UN and other relief efforts. It might be that Jakarta and GAM, with a common interest in rebuilding Aceh, can build their own fragile relations. -- The Bangkok Post