 yafii, his wife and five other rebels were shot dead Tuesday when soldiers raided their jungle hideout. The Swedish-exiled leadership of the Free Acheh Movement (GAM) accused Indonesian authorities of tracking and killing Syafii by inserting a microchip into a envelope containing an invitation for peace talks from provincial governor Abdullah Puteh.
Puteh ridiculed the claim, saying a courier had not been able to deliver the envelope.
Lowry, a former Australian soldier who has written a book on the Indonesian armed forces, said initial reports did not seem to suggest the raid had been highly planned.
But he added: "It is not unusual for proposals for peace talks to be
sabotaged by the military...it's possible there was a difference of opinion between military and political leaders over the peace talks offer."
Lowry said President Megawati Sukarnoputri's government wanted to separate the rebel leadership in Acheh from the exiled top leadership in Sweden.
"It's clear Megawati has been happy to see the military apply more pressure in hopes of forcing GAM to the negotiating table," he told AFP by phone.
"No doubt they can beat back the armed elements of GAM but they can never wipe them out."
Lowry said the military could not solve the problem. "The character of the Acheh people is such that you can't impose a solution. The key is the Sweden-based leadership. You need to be able to bring more international pressure for a solution to bear on these people."
Jakarta has firmly ruled out independence for the province on the northern tip of Sumatra island. Last year it passed a law granting Acheh greater self-rule and a much larger share of oil and gas revenues.
Lowry said it was possible that GAM's founder Hasan di Tiro, who is in his late 70s and has lived in exile since 1979, could not be swayed in his demand for outright independence.
But Indonesia should at least try for a peaceful solution and Megawati should overcome her objections to foreign involvement.
The Swiss Henry Dunant Centre brokered several rounds of failed peace talks in the past.
Lowry said foreign support would only be forthcoming if Indonesia were prepared to make concessions that might persuade Tiro, such as the formation of a provincial political party that could represent GAM.
Abdurrahman Yacub, executive of the Acheh Human Rights Coalition, said Syafii's killing would only heighten violence.
An estimated 10,000 people have been killed since 1976 and some 138 have died this year alone.
"We are talking here of a symbol of the struggle of the people of Acheh. His death will only redouble the determination of pro-independence people here, including the rebels," Yacub told AFP.
He noted that nine years of heightened military operations in Acheh up to August 1998 had failed to crush the rebels and merely fuelled public resentment against Jakarta. Military operations resumed last year.
Even the Acheh military operations commander, Brigadier General Jali Yusuf, said Syafii would be replaced.
While the killing would have an effect on Gam's struggle, he said, "if their commander is killed, there will certainly be a deputy commander to replace him."
© 2002 Agence France-Presse. All rights reserved.
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