Aceh governor seeks talks with GAM leader Hasan Tiro<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh said on Friday that he wanted to
\nhold talks with Free Aceh Movement (GAM) top leader Hasan Tiro
\nduring upcoming peace talks between the government and GAM in
\nGeneva, which is scheduled for Nov. 3 and Nov. 4.<\/p>\n
\"It depends on the mechanism of the dialog. The meeting could
\ntake place on the sidelines of the peace talks. The prospects are
\nquite favorable,\" he told Antara news agency in the provincial
\ncapital of Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
Puteh and Teungku Muhammad Yus, speaker of the Aceh
\nLegislative Council, will represent the provincial administration
\nat the two-day dialog in Switzerland.<\/p>\n
A group of six Acehnese civilian figures led by Imam Suja will
\nalso be present at the peace talks as observers. They arrived in
\nGeneva a few days ago.<\/p>\n
Puteh's plan to meet with Tiro followed a meeting of the six
\nAcehnese civilian representatives with the top GAM leader last
\nWednesday in Switzerland.<\/p>\n
The governor said that before meeting with Tiro, he would meet
\nwith President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Coordinating Minister
\nfor Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for
\nconsultation.<\/p>\n
The six figures expressed optimism that the government and GAM
\nwould be able to reach a peace agreement to end decades of
\nseparatist conflict in Aceh since 1976.<\/p>\n
\"We are taking back a message to the people of Aceh that GAM
\nwants to agree to a cessation of hostilities,\" Suja, who chairs
\nthe Aceh chapter of Muhammadiyah, said in a press release issued
\nby the Henri Dunant Center (HDC).<\/p>\n
GAM spokesman Bachtiar Abdullah said from Switzerland that
\nrebels hoped to sign a peace accord after this year's Muslim Idul
\nFitri holiday in early December.<\/p>\n
\"We believe that the signing of an agreement with the
\ngovernment of Indonesia is most likely to take place immediately
\nafter Idul Fitri,\" he was quoted by AP as saying.<\/p>\n
The much-awaited signing is expected to end one of Asia's
\nlongest-running separatist fighting that has claimed thousands of
\nlives.<\/p>\n
The press release said that during the meeting with Tiro, the
\nsix Acehnese civilian representatives were delighted with
\nprogress and comforted by GAM's clear assurances that a peaceful
\nsolution to the conflict would be reached.<\/p>\n
\"The proposal for all-Aceh inclusive dialog, leading to local
\nelections in 2004 and a democratically elected government in Aceh
\nwas also reaffirmed,\" it said.<\/p>\n
\"We understand this to be a clear commitment by GAM and the
\ngovernment of Indonesia to fulfilling the wishes of the Acehnese
\npeople. There may still be some hurdles to overcome, but, as both
\nsides prepare to embark on this momentous journey, our hopes are
\nhigh for what will be an historic agreement,\" it added.<\/p>\n
Bachtiar said that during the fasting month of Ramadhan that
\nwould start on Nov. 6, GAM would \"stop all military actions
\nexcept for self-defense purposes\".<\/p>\n
The Geneva-based HDC, which is organizing peace talks, has
\nbeen pushing for an even earlier signing, possibly in mid-
\nNovember.<\/p>\n
The rebels have insisted that international mediators must
\nmonitor any future cease-fire. The government has fiercely
\nopposed foreign involvement in the past, but has since relaxed
\nits stand.<\/p>\n
Bachtiar said the rebels were discussing the number and
\ncountry of origin of international monitors to oversee the deal.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Military chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said on
\nWednesday that the government would grant a sweeping amnesty to
\nGAM members if the upcoming peace talks were successful.<\/p>\n
The government insists that Aceh must remain part of
\nIndonesia, and has offered the province greater autonomy. GAM has
\nrejected previous offers of autonomy and additional revenues from
\nthe province's oil and natural gas.<\/p>\n
The government says the rebels have accepted the autonomy
\noffer, but Bachtiar claimed on Friday that GAM is holding out for
\nfull independence. It was not immediately clear how the
\ndiscrepancy would be dealt with in the reported peace deal.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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