Indonesian troops head for Aceh

Indonesia already has thousands of troops in Aceh

Thousands of Indonesian troops are being sent to the province of Aceh, sparking fears of conflict with separatist rebels and the end of a peace deal agreed last December.

Navy vessels carrying the soldiers have set sail from the East Javan city of Surabaya and could be in Aceh as soon as next Tuesday, according to one report.

Indonesia's military chief told the troops to brace for war, Reuters news agency reported.

But the Jakarta Government has again said that military action could be averted in the troubled province.

Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said there was still time for rebels from the Free Aceh Movement (Gam) to accept Jakarta's terms for talks aimed at saving the peace deal.

The authorities have given Gam a deadline of next Monday to accept demands that they abandon their goal of independence and resume talks.

"May 12 is still ahead. Thus, at this second, I would not say that resolution has failed," Mr Wirajuda said.

Security operation

The Indonesian Government announced earlier this week that it was stepping up plans to shore up security in Aceh.

It said the security operation would be part of an "integrated" campaign including humanitarian and law enforcement operations.

General Endriartono Sutarto said on Thursday that there would be no halfway measures if the rebels refused to lay down their arms.

"If then the government decides to solve Aceh through a military operation, then yes, we need to be all out," he said.

There was initial optimism when Gam and the government agreed to the 9 December peace deal, designed to bring an end to the 26-year conflict which has claimed at least 12,000 lives.

But the BBC's Jakarta correspondent Rachel Harvey says the situation on the ground is now deteriorating rapidly.

Violent incidents are on the increase, with thousands of villagers fleeing their homes and seeking refuge in local mosques and schools.

Under the terms of the agreement, the rebels were supposed to place their weapons in special arms dumps, and the Indonesian military was meant to withdraw to defensive positions.

Neither Jakarta nor Gam has so far fulfilled its side of the bargain, and both sides continue to blame each other for the breakdown in relations.