U.S., UN call for access to Aceh

U.S., UN call for access to Aceh

U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz on Friday urged
the Indonesian government to reconsider the use of military
action to resolve the dispute.

"We certainly understand Indonesian concerns about preserving
the integrity of the nation, but at the same time we believe very
strongly that the solution to the issues in Aceh has got to be a
political one," Wolfowitz told reporters at a joint news
conference Indonesian Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil.

The two officials met earlier on the sidelines of the second
annual Asia Security Conference in Singapore.

Wolfowitz, a former U.S. ambassador to Indonesia, also
appealed to Indonesia to allow international monitors into Aceh.

"We've requested that some NGOs (non-governmental
organizations) be able to go into Aceh to monitor the situation,"
he said. "I think it can encourage the world to believe that
Indonesia is behaving and its troops are behaving."

Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Thursday said he
was "deeply concerned" over the impact on the civilian population
of renewed hostilities in Aceh.

"In particular, he is disturbed by reports of extra-judicial
killings and widespread burning of schools," his deputy
spokeswoman, Hua Jiang, said.

Annan, she said, "urges all parties to the conflict to uphold
their obligations to protect civilians in armed conflict."

The secretary general also calls on Indonesia's government to
"ensure the necessary security conditions to allow international
aid organizations safe and unhindered access to affected
populations."

Around 40,000 government troops and policemen are battling an
estimated 5,000 rebels in the province on the tip of Sumatra
island. Both sides have been accused of human rights abuses in
the 27-year insurgency. -- Agencies