Associated Press

Jakarta, April 10:

Separatist rebels in Aceh province have accused Indonesia’s military of stepping up their campaign in the tsunami-shattered region, a charge that underlines obstacles to peace ahead of a crucial third-round of talks in Finland this week.

“The Indonesian military are increasing their numbers and killing more and more of our people,” Abdullah Zaini, a rebel negotiator living in exile in Sweden, said yesterday.

“That is against the spirit of the negotiations.”

An Indonesian army spokesman denied that troop numbers were being increased, but said that military operations against the rebels were ongoing in the oil and gas-rich province, which has been wracked by conflict for 27 years.

Officials and mediators say that Indonesia’s government and rebels of the Free Aceh Movement made significant headway in ending the war during the previous two rounds of talks in January and February in the Finnish capital of Helsinki.

Indonesia’s vice president has predicted an agreement could be reached by July. The rebels have hinted they may accept a self-government package in exchange for dropping their independence demand.