The separatist tensions pulling at Indonesia are now tearing apart the unity of the first democratically elected government in Jakarta.
President Abdurrahman Wahid, in his first appearance in parliament yesterday since his election last month, faced a restive majority opposed to his decision to allow a referendum in the rebellious province of Aceh in seven months.
The choice for Aceh seems to be narrowing to a referendum or martial law, which the Defence Minister, Mr Juwono Sudarsono, is reported to be considering. "I myself think that there must be a referendum in Aceh," Mr Wahid told parliament, though he did not disclose whether independence would be an option.
In Aceh, 1,750 km north-east of Jakarta, the demand for independence has reached fever pitch after a decade of military repression. Rumours are rife of widespread unrest around the anniversary of the separatist movement's founding on December 4th if Mr Wahid does not detail his referendum policy by then.
Parliamentary leaders meeting in Jakarta on Wednesday rejected any offer of independence, fearing it could destroy the nation. The parliamentary speaker, Mr Akbar Tandjung, said parliament would never agree to any offer of independence for Aceh, but would support special autonomy.
This leaves the President in a bind, as a referendum offering either the status quo or autonomy would almost certainly be rejected by the Aceh referendum movement, which is overwhelmingly supported by the province's four million population.
The President may in the end, however, decide to risk not offering the option of independence. This was the conclusion of Aceh's governor, Mr Syamsuddin Mahmud, after meeting Mr Wahid on Wednesday. The choice, he forecast, would be either integration or an attractive autonomy package which would allow the oil-rich province to keep 75 per cent of its revenues.
Mr Wahid was elected with the support of several parties but does not control a parliamentary majority and is playing desperately for time. Almost blind and suffering the effects of a stroke, he has already had to capitulate to opposition to his liberal policies; yesterday he abandoned his plan to open trade relations with Israel to appease Muslim groups.
The Indonesian military is strongly opposed to a referendum on independence, fearing if Aceh goes the way of East Timor it will fuel independence movements in other provinces and lead to what an armed forces spokesman, Maj Gen Sudrajat, called the Balkanisation of Indonesia.
The crisis in Aceh is even now becoming a source of instability as waves of the 200,000 transmigrants flee the province, many heading back to the overcrowded main island of Java.
Mr Wahid, meanwhile, will meet the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Mr Jose Ramos-Horta, and the East Timorese independence leader, Mr Xanana Gusmao, in Jakarta on November 30th.
"We are going to Jakarta, even before I finally return to East Timor, to pay tribute to the wisdom and vision of Abdurrahman Wahid and begin the process of reconciliation and rebuilding of relations with that great country, the Republic of Indonesia," said Mr Ramos-Horta, who will go home for the first time since 1974 on December 1st.
The US ambassador to the UN, Mr Richard Holbrooke, and the US Assistant Secretary of State, Mr Stanley Roth, yesterday began a week-long visit to East Timor, West Timor and Jakarta. The US suspended military aid to Indonesia after the army and pro-Jakarta militia destroyed East Timor's towns and villages and forced 200,000 East Timorese to neighbouring Indonesian West Timor, where many are still forcibly detained.
In Canberra, Australia, Mr Rohland, chief of the bank assessment mission to East Timor, said yesterday he had a four-hour meeting in Dili with Mr Gusmao who was "extremely pleased" with its work.
The mission estimates East Timor will need $260 million and $300 million for medium-term reconstruction. A donors' meeting has been scheduled for December 17th in Tokyo.