Aceh peace deal remains in effect: HDC<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Even if the Indonesian government goes ahead with its planned
\nmilitary operation in Aceh, the Cessation of Hostilities
\nAgreement (COHA) signed last year between Jakarta and the Free
\nAceh Movement (GAM) will remain effective, peace broker Henry
\nDunant Centre (HDC) says.<\/p>\n
Spokesman for the HDC Steve Daly said on Monday that neither
\nparty would be considered as having withdrawn from the deal, as
\nlong as a Joint Council meeting has not yet taken place.<\/p>\n
\"As facilitators, we consider the COHA remains in effect until
\nwe exhaust every avenue to save the peace, or until one of the
\nparties unilaterally withdraws,\" Daly told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He said his office would continue in its efforts to save the
\npeace pact, despite the looming operation to quell the rebels.<\/p>\n
His statement came ahead of the May 12 deadline set by the
\ngovernment for GAM, with no positive results emerging from last-
\nditch diplomatic attempts to save the peace.<\/p>\n
The COHA says either party can quit the agreement at a meeting
\nof the Joint Council, the highest monitoring body of the truce
\nsigned in Geneva on Dec. 9, 2002.<\/p>\n
Following the failure to arrange a Joint Council meeting two
\nweeks ago, Jakarta set a May 12 deadline for the separatist
\nmovement to return to the negotiating table under two
\npreconditions: GAM's acceptance of Aceh's special autonomy under
\nthe unitary state of Indonesia, and disarmament. The terms have
\nbeen rejected by the rebels.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono asserted on Monday that the Indonesian
\ngovernment had never quit the agreement. \"But in reality, the
\nCOHA doesn't work effectively,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Article 9 of the agreement on Amendment or Termination clearly
\nstipulates that another 30 days must pass after the Joint Council
\nmeeting before either side can decide whether to quit the deal or
\nnot.<\/p>\n
Member of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM)
\nM.M. Billah said that the planned joint operation by the
\ngovernment could be seen as a violation of COHA.<\/p>\n
\"Politically, we can say that the government cannot be
\ntrusted, and from an ethical point of view, has violated the deal
\nit signed,\" Billah told the Post.<\/p>\n
Referring to Article 9 of the agreement, he said the
\ngovernment should have pushed further for the Joint Council
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
The rights body had dispatched a team to Aceh to monitor the
\nmilitary operation as part of the commission's duty to observe
\nthe human rights condition during the conflict.<\/p>\n
\"The team will stay there until July and it is within our
\nauthority to monitor any government activities that may be prone
\nto violating human rights,\" Billah said.<\/p>\n
Cessation of Hostilities Agreement<\/p>\n
Article 9: Amendment or Termination<\/p>\n
This Agreement may only be amended by agreement between the two
\nparties in the Joint Council. Should either party wish to
\nunilaterally terminate the Agreement, then they are obligated to
\nfirst bring the issue to the Joint Council and engage in and
\nsupport all efforts by the Joint Council to resolve the problem
\nwithin a sufficient period of time (no less than 30 days). If the
\nJoint Council is unable to resolve the matter, then either party
\nhas the right to unilaterally withdraw from the Agreement.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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