Acehnese worry about future if peace talks break down<\/p>\n
Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
While many take peace for granted, for the Acehnese it is a
\ntreasured, yet elusive goal, reflected in the mixed reactions to
\nthe ongoing dialog between the government and the Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM) in Helsinki, Finland.<\/p>\n
Some wish the best for the two parties in the conviction that
\nthe current peace talks will put an end to the long-standing
\nconflict in the resource-rich province.<\/p>\n
Others, however, are apparently no longer pinning any hopes on
\nthe dialog after the previous rounds of talks brought nothing but
\nmisery for the people here.<\/p>\n
Ilias, 34, is of the first category. While he rarely voices
\nhis optimism, he knows deep down that the patience will bear
\nsweet fruit.<\/p>\n
\"As a human being, we have to be optimistic. I truly hope that
\nthe current dialog between the government and the GAM will
\neventually bring peace for us here,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ilias did acknowledge that the previous talks between the two
\nsides had not produced satisfactory results, but said that an
\nagreement between the two parties was imperative now.<\/p>\n
\"Especially after the tsunami and all the tragedies we've gone
\nthrough. If there's no peace, there's no development. Thus, it is
\nthe people who will continue to suffer,\" lamented Ilias.<\/p>\n
Forty-five-year-old Ridwan shares a similar hope. He believes
\nthat there will be peace for the Acehnese people.<\/p>\n
\"When there's peace, we can work. We can prosper in this time
\nof difficulty, business-wise,\" said Ridwan, a street vendor.<\/p>\n
Abdullah, 66, from the Lhoksukon district has one important
\nsuggestion for the parties in dialog to ponder.<\/p>\n
\"Take a step back, yield if necessary. Think of us here. We've
\nhad enough of all manner of suffering,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Not everyone is confident nor upbeat, though.<\/p>\n
Burdened with thoughts about how to survive after the tsunami,
\nmany have not given any attention to news of the Helsinki talks.<\/p>\n
Many others are fearful of what will happen if the current
\ntalks break down.<\/p>\n
\"If this one fails, the only direction we the Acehnese will
\nhead for is down. No one will ever buy the promise of peace, no
\nmatter who sells it,\" said an Acehnese public figure who wished
\nto remain anonymous.<\/p>\n
\"History has taught us not to put trust in peace talks,\" he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
The peace talks between the Indonesian government and the GAM
\nresumed on Thursday; the fourth round of talks facilitated by the
\nHelsinki-based Crisis Management Initiative (CMI).<\/p>\n
The first three did not bring about any impressive
\ndevelopments that could hint at a possible end to the conflict
\nbetween the two parties.<\/p>\n
GAM has been seeking independence for the province since 1976,
\nleading to a decades-long bloody conflict that has resulted in
\nthe deaths of thousands of innocent people.<\/p>\n
Similar talks were held in Tokyo in 2003 during the
\nadministration of Megawati Soekarnoputri, which failed to reach
\nany conclusive decisions. The outcome was a year-long imposition
\nof martial law.<\/p>\n
Just two weeks ago however, the government lifted the state of
\nemergency, but decided to continue military operations to crush
\nGAM rebels.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/acehnese-worry-about-future-if-peace-talks-break-down-1447893297",
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