IT has been more than a week since martial law was imposed in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Province. Based on Presidential Decree 28/2003, the government has declared the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) must be defeated. Till now, the number of civilian victims and those from GAM and the Indonesian Military (TNI) continue to increase; hundreds of schools have been torched, and, who knows how many more will be sacrificed. Clashes are inevitable. TNI has dispatched 26,000 personnel and a 6,350-strong rapid reaction strike force. On paper, the TNI estimates that the clashes will be over in six month and will cost Rpl.23 trillion. Will the security operation in Aceh be effective?

Keywords :
Aceh , Conflict , GAM ,