Was Indonesia right to launch Aceh offensive?

The Indonesian military has launched an all-out offensive against separatist rebels in the province of Aceh.

The move came after peace talks with rebels from the Free Aceh Movement (Gam) broke down and martial law was declared.

The 27-year old conflict in Aceh has claimed about 12,000 lives.

Indonesia faces demands for independence from several provinces, where separatists have been encouraged by East Timor's 1999 success in breaking away.

Was the Indonesian Government right to launch its Aceh offensive? Can Indonesia remain a united country?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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The following comments reflect the balance of views we have received:

No, the military operation is utterly wrong. Too many have innocent Acehnese civilians have suffered. The Indonesian Government has to learn from their mistakes and not use military force again in Aceh. Indonesia can remain united if the government starts developing the rich provinces, not to concentrate everything in Java. And of course, cut the corruption!
Nurul, Indonesia

Without reform of the Indonesian military there can be no solution

Olsen Hafstad, UK

It is very sad to see that this peace process has broken down but it did so for the clear reason that it was not addressing the real issues of the people. I have a number of Acehnese friends and they have suffered long years of repression by the Indonesian military. They see that the military are in Aceh primarily for economic profit - the oil, gas and timber resources all being under their overt or covert control. The 'social contract' which the Acehnese may be said to have accepted in becoming part of an Indonesian state, no longer gives them the security and control over their resources which they expected in becoming part Indonesia. It is for this reason that the ideas of the Acehnese independence movement flourish. Without reform of the Indonesian military there can be no solution to the Acehnese problem.
Olsen Hafstad, UK

Yes, because Indonesian government has the responsibility to protect its citizens by ending the conflict as soon as possible so the Acehnese people can live in peace. The issue of uneven distribution of development throughout Indonesia should be solved peacefully, not through armed rebellion. What GAM is doing is not solving the issue at all.
Rusdi, Indonesia

Indonesia must accept that its geography and inherent diversity lends itself better to a federation of smaller states (perhaps an incipient South-Eastern Asia 'EU') rather than a large unitary state. Until this is realised and acted upon, conflict between the various territories is inevitable.
Nick Fraser, Berlin, Germany

When tiny Timor wanted to be free it was granted, with international support too. Aceh, a much bigger province with a far larger population, would in principle be a 'matter of course' that it should be free since it wishes to be so since the time of Sukarno (Megawati's father).Long before that but not as long as 1000 years Aceh ruled the entire Indonesia and Malaysia! But they have no holy book to back that. Many a time logics are twisted so much that nothing matters except things that matters to 'those people who matters.'
Tahir, Malaysia

The government either has to crack down hard on separatist movements or see the whole country fall apart

liam, UK

Indonesia is a sprawling mass of diverse ethnic groups that can't stand each other and ostensibly have nothing in common - the government either has to crack down hard on separatist movements, or be prepared to see the whole country fall apart. It's a tough choice, and I'm sure no-one posting on this board could find any better solution.
liam, UK

Every war is very wrong, there are lots of human right abuses, but a country should and can do anything it wants in order to protect its sovereignty. Just like the U.S. and its so called coalition forces it will do anything it takes to protect their sovereignty and interest. At least Indonesia is trying to protect not invade another country.
Sacha, USA

Unlike East Timor, Aceh played a major role during the fight of independence against the Dutch. The majority of Acehnese themselves agreed to be a part of the Republic of Indonesia. Yes, Indonesia has the right to launch an offensive against Gam, and I hope the operation will end in a short time. However, if Gam lost the war I hope the Indonesian government implemented what they had promised. Aceh should be an autonomous province and at least 70 percent of Aceh's wealth should go to Aceh. As an Indonesian citizen I could only pray and hope that the conflict in Aceh and other provinces will be over soon, and God willing Indonesia will always be a united country.
Mohammad Riza Widyarsa, USA

There are many places around the world where provinces should be given the right of independence or transferring administration from one country to another. Aceh is one of many which should be given this right. Let the people of Aceh have a free vote. If two-thirds whom cast their vote, vote for independence, let them go. I would also apply the same rule to Northern Ireland, Tamil controlled areas of Sri Lanka, Kashmir (whole), Hawaii and anywhere else with defined boarders.
G.P.Russell, England

Aceh belongs to Indonesian people

Pet Hen Oei, Indonesia

The province is part of Indonesia since its independence day. Yes, the Indonesian military has dark records with its name, but this cannot be the reason for separating an integral province of a country which, if it does, will send the wrong signals to the rest of the country and to the international community. Aceh belongs to Indonesian people.
Pet Hen Oei, Indonesia

Yes, definitely. The price is way too expensive for Indonesia to let separatism that could lead to disintegration. No country in the world would tolerate that. Let me also say that it is wrong to compare East Timor and Aceh since East Timor was recognized as a non-self-governing territory but Aceh is an integral part of Indonesia and recognized as such by UN and international community. The spread of democracy globally and the independence of East Timor a year a go unfortunately have raised a "wrong expectations" - and this isn't easy to manage. A prolonged conflict does not represent the real interest of the Acehnese, and yet independence is a selfish illusion being dangled exuberantly by Gam leaders but embodying the will of the Acehnese. For this reason I support the decision by Jakarta as the last resort.
Ayu Marthini, USA

Civil War never brings a just solution! Separatism in Indonesia is as old as the Indonesian Republic! As long as the corrupt politicians in Jakarta are only interested in filling their pockets with the money they press from the provinces those provinces will try to break away. Changing the centralistic Republic of Indonesia into a Federal Republic or something like "the United States of Indonesia" would solve most of the nations problems.
Alex Segar, Indonesia

Indonesia's heavy hand in Aceh has marked a generation of violence and bloodshed. The resources in Aceh are enough to fuel the greedy political machine and further corrupt an already debauched government. Having lived in Banda Aceh, I have witnessed the violence and oppression and know the Indonesian government will not allow secession of the province even through political lines or peace talks. The under equipped people of Aceh will suffer greatly in the heightening of this ever-worsening conflict.
Kimo, USA

Personally I do not think it is right to use force to subdue what should be a legitimate right to freedom and self-determination. However, that is an ideological/idealistic argument, the practical situation is, the Aceh province is rich in oil and gas and the provinces independence would be a big loss to the Indonesian economy and a political wound. I think the rebels should have took this into account and agreed to a high degree of self rule in exchange for Indonesia halting military occupation of the province.
Paul W, United Kingdom

If it has been internationally recognized that nations can invade and occupy other independent nation, why are you questioning the legitimacy of a country's attempt to maintain its own unity?
A. Abdelal, USA

There are ominous parallels to Yugoslavia in this situation. Fortunately, there is no Milosevic in Indonesia, and this conflict is on a smaller scale than either Croatia or Bosnia. However, the international community would be well advised to step in and negotiate a settlement where Aceh accepts autonomy but not full independence. If Aceh were to leave Indonesia, and the country were to unravel, this would be the greatest source of world instability and a bad situation for Indonesians of all ethnic groups.
Gustav, USA

This offensive is clearly wrong

Ben, London, UK

This offensive is clearly wrong. The slaughter, abuse and harassment of civilians which has been the mark of Indonesian rule in Aceh cannot be justified. The argument that the killing of innocents to maintain a unity (that the Acehnese clearly do not value) is an argument for tyranny and despotism.
Ben, London, UK

If you support the right of the Aceh people to independence, then why not also support the Tamil Tigers fight for a homeland or the Irish in Northern Ireland for sovereignty.
Kevin, Malaysia

Oh, how easy it is to comment on a nation's internal affairs from outside of it.
Paul Tomlinson, Great Britain

Looking back into history, I see my own nation fought its own cruel war of oppression against Aceh as a colonial power. The Indonesians should learn from the mistakes of the past and show the way by allowing a plebiscite to determine independence. If the population wants to be separate from the Indonesian state then so be it.
J.W. Langenberg, The Netherlands

Countries like Indonesia can only be held together by strength, thus the Indonesian government have no choice but to take this action. The alternative is to see the country fall apart bit by bit.
Chris, UK

Why did the west help the East Timor to get independence and so why not the Aceh?
Mario, Italy

The country has every reason to save its sovereignty

Sachin Vats, India

The government decision is right. The country has every reason to save its sovereignty. If they do not opt for an offensive action now, it'll boost the morale of separatists and militants since they'll take it as a symbol of weakness of Indonesian Government, and the situation will get worse.
Sachin Vats, India

Sachin Vats of India makes a good point! Unfortunately, that was the same argument the British Raj used to subjugate and enslave millions of Indians for more than two centuries. Apparently, the likes of Satchin have learned absolutely nothing from great Indian leaders like Gandhi!
Anan, USA

No! The control of Aceh by Jakarta is as much imperialism as the 19th century control Britain had of India.
Luke Weyland, Australia

In all cases war is not a solution. And in all cases independence from Indonesia is also not a solution.
Jimmy, Malaysia

The sole tie that binds Indonesia is former Dutch rule. Surely this is not a criterion for nationhood? A peaceful process of self-determination should be allowed to develop across the Archipelago. As such, the Indonesian government should not impose the will of the Javanese, upon the ethnically distinct people of Aceh, by military force.
Dan, England

Yes, Indonesian government is right to crackdown on dissent. If they are perceived as weak, many other provinces will crumble.
Michael, Indonesia

Indonesia was founded on wrong basis. The founding father had an option for federal Indonesia but opted for maximised power of Javanese. This is the reason for continuing conflicts of this archipelago. The problems can be solved by forming a federal Indonesia, letting some provinces become independent if they so wish. The war is the last thing the Indonesian government should do now but they have been given a precedence of war being the practical way of boosting supremacy.
Olle Noef, Sweden