A coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will submit a memorandum to the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow urging for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Aceh.

In a joint statement today, the coalition - spearheaded by human rights organisation Suaram - said the event will commence at about 2pm.

The coalition urged the Indonesian government to withdraw the declaration of war and to immediately cease all military operations in the province.

They also urged the government to return to the negotiation table so that a peaceful solution can be reached.

Military offensive

On Monday, Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri signed a decree imposing martial law in the province after peace talks with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) broke down in Tokyo.

She also gave the green light to the Indonesian army to engage the separatist rebels after they failed to heed her call to disarm.

An estimated 10,000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in the battle for independence in Aceh since 1976.

The Malaysian government also expressed hope for a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

Meanwhile, the NGOs said they have invited Minister of Youth and Sports Hishammuddin Hussein and Mercy - a local organisation that provides medical aid in war-torn countries - president Dr Jemilah Mahmood to tomorrow's event.

Hishamuddin, who is Umno Youth chief, is also the patron of Aman Malaysia - a project initiated by the Youth wing to provide assistance to civilians affected by the recent war in Iraq.

Malaysia's role

In a related development, Keadilan and PRM said Malaysia must play an important role in defending peace and humanity in Aceh.

While welcoming its call for peace, they also urged the Malaysian government to step up its efforts in persuading both sides to restart negotiations.

"Malaysia's good relations with Indonesia, and its influence in Asean, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) means that Malaysia can play a positive role in easing tension in any conflict, particularly in the South-East Asian region," Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Ismail and PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali said in a joint statement.

The parties added that it was the collective responsibility of everybody to defend the peace and humanity in the province.

"A long, drawn-out conflict will also result in further instability in the region which will not o­nly affect our peace but also worsen the economic problems in the region."

Mediation team

Meanwhile DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang suggested that the government to take the initiate to discus the Aceh issue at the Asean Ministerial Meeting in Phnom Penh next month.

He added that Malaysia, as the chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, must also call upon fellow member Indonesia to revoke the declaration of war and martial law in Aceh.

"NAM should ask for both the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to return to the negotiating table to seek a peaceful resolution to their conflict," he said in a statement..

"And if the Aceh conflict remain unresolved in the next few months, Malaysia should propose at the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Summit which Malaysia will be playing host in Kuala Lumpur in October the establishment of a mediation team to end the violence and the warfare in Aceh."

According to reports, the Indonesian military initiated a large-scale offensive o­n rebel positions just hours after the martial law decree was inked by Megawati.

Fifteen warships were also reported to have been deployed to the port city of Lhokseumawe.