Monitors pull out of Aceh

Indonesian troops have been pouring into Aceh

International monitors have left Indonesia's western province of Aceh ahead of a possible military offensive against separatist rebels.

More than 50 monitors - most of them from Thailand and the Philippines - have left for the nearby North Sumatran capital of Medan, according to the Geneva-based Henry Dunant Centre (HDC), which brokered a peace deal in the province last year.

"They are being relocated until we see what happens... If we have positive results they will come back," said David Gorman, head of the HDC in Aceh.

Last December's peace deal has suffered a series of recent setbacks, and earlier this month the Indonesian Government gave the rebels, from the Free Aceh Movement (Gam), until Monday to resume negotiations or face military action.

The situation in the nation of Aceh today is entering the second colonial war

Gam rebels' spokesman

The government demanded that Gam abandon their independence campaign, lay down their arms and start talks on local autonomy.

But so far Gam has not agreed to the demands, and Indonesia has poured more troops into the country as preparation for a possible military offensive.

On Sunday Jakarta released four detained Gam negotiators, two days after they were arrested in connection with a series of bombings across Indonesia.

But despite this apparent goodwill gesture, correspondents say the December peace deal seems to have all but collapsed.

Preparing for war

The monitors' withdrawal came as talks continued in Sweden over the weekend between rebel leaders and HDC representatives, in a last-ditch attempt to avert war.

Meanwhile, another 600 Indonesian troops are expected to arrive in Aceh shortly, to join thousands of soldiers already in the province.

Gam, for its part, has ordered its fighters to take up defensive positions and has cancelled all leave.

"The situation in the nation of Aceh today is entering the second colonial war," a rebel spokesman said on Friday - comparing Jakarta's troops to the Dutch invaders of the late 19th century.

The rebels have an estimated 3,000 to 10,000 troops in the province, while the government has more than 30,000 troops.

Accusations

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

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

Neither Jakarta nor Gam fulfilled its side of the bargain, and they continue to blame each other for the breakdown in relations.

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

Indonesia's Foreign Minister, Hassan Wirayuda, defended a possible crackdown in the territory.

"Honestly, what we are doing - or will do - in Aceh is much less than the American power that was deployed in Iraq. We aren't violating anyone's sovereignty," he said.