In Indonesia's second-largest city of Surabaya, military commander General Endriartono Sutarto told to around 6,000 marines and sailors to brace for war in Aceh if the rebels refused to lay down arms. The government has given the Free Aceh Movement up until May 12 to accept terms for talks, including abandoning their goal of independence and starting to disarm. The day before, the government admitted that it was preparing a military offensive against the rebels even as the body count rose. Soldiers shot three rebels and assailants killed an Aceh lawmaker. - Adam Geibel

The army is accused of arming anti-separatist groups in Aceh and urging them to attack separatists and hold demonstrations in favor of the peace deal that would not grant Aceh independence. This is the same strategy used in East Timor (which failed and triggered the use of UN peacekeepers.)