Acehese demand more inclusive talks<\/p>\n
Nani Afrida and Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh\/Medan<\/p>\n
Prominent Aceh figures and scholars appeared lukewarm on Tuesday
\nabout the recent peace talks between the Indonesian government
\nand the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Helsinki, saying that the
\ntalks were \"elitist\".<\/p>\n
They suggested that the two sides should include other
\nconstituencies in Aceh in the next peace talks scheduled to be
\nheld in the near future as no Indonesian or GAM leaders were
\ncapable of representing the Acehnese people.<\/p>\n
\"They held talks for around three years and they resulted in
\nnothing but violence. They have to change the strategy. They must
\ninvolve other elements so as to elicit more views about the
\nsolution to the conflict,\" said scholar Syaifudin Bantasyam.<\/p>\n
Acehnese academics have long being saying that inclusive talks
\nwere necessary to increase the credibility and legitimacy of the
\npeace talks, thus making them better able to bring about a
\npermanent peace in the province.<\/p>\n
Peace negotiations between the Indonesia government and GAM
\nleaders in Sweden began in 2001 but failed to produce peace as
\nboth sides refused to budge from their predetermined positions.
\nThe failure of the negotiations led to violence in May 2003 when
\nthe Indonesian government launched a major offensive against GAM.<\/p>\n
After more than a year and a half of conflict, the tsunami
\ndisaster of Dec. 26 last year provided a window of opportunity
\nfor both sides to resume talks, but the two days of discussions
\nlast week in Helsinki failed to produce a breakthrough, except
\nfor a promise that both sides would meet again in the near future
\nfor another round of negotiations.<\/p>\n
In a separate development, the chairman of the Medan-based
\nAceh Sepakat organization, Fauzi Usman, said that the
\ntsunami disaster, which killed about 130,000 Acehnese, should
\nhave prompted the two sides to come to their senses.<\/p>\n
Aceh Legal Aid Institute coordinator Rufriadi added that what
\nmattered now was how to encourage the two sides to give up their
\nentrenched positions and instead focus more on promoting the
\nprosperity of Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"They need to highlight the humanitarian issues going on right
\nhere and now. Aceh needs a cease-fire, a humanitarian pause.
\nAfterwards, they can start talking about resolving the conflict
\nfrom the political point of view,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Although the Acehnese had little to say in public about the
\nfailed talks, Rufriadi said he believed that most Acehnese must
\nhave been hoping the negotiations would be fruitful.<\/p>\n
\"I believe they do care, but perhaps they don't expect a lot
\nthis time around after the previous series of failed
\nnegotiations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Abbas, a civil servant in the resource-rich province, merely
\nsaid, \"Let them negotiate, we don't care. Right now what we care
\nabout is how to survive and get over the trauma of losing our
\nloved ones,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/acehese-demand-more-inclusive-talks-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}