Alwi pours cold water on Aceh plan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Foreign minister Alwi Shihab has poured cold
\nwater on rising expectations of the signing of an accord between
\nIndonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) next week, saying it
\nwas neither a peace agreement nor a cease-fire.<\/p>\n
Seemingly playing down the latest development, Alwi said on
\nFriday the memorandum of understanding to be signed in Geneva
\nnext week was not a political settlement to the Aceh problem, but
\nwas designed to reduce violence in the restive province.<\/p>\n
\"What we are going to sign is a joint understanding for a
\nhumanitarian pause. To create peaceful conditions to support the
\ndaily activities of the Acehnese,\" he told journalists.<\/p>\n
\"Don't take the issue as a political issue, this is not an
\nagreement. This is a note of understanding and there is no cease-
\nfire,\" he stressed.<\/p>\n
Alwi also underlined that the government's involvement with
\nthe memorandum was not a formal recognition of GAM as a state
\nentity.<\/p>\n
\"We acknowledge GAM as one force present in Aceh that has been
\ndisturbing stability in the province and stopping the Acehnese
\nfrom living normally,\" he said, adding that the government was
\nalways willing to cooperate with all parties to achieve peace in
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
The note's implementation will involve both parties forming
\ntwo committees in the province to execute the accords. A joint
\nforum will also be set up in Geneva to take follow-up action.<\/p>\n
One committees will focus on the transfer of humanitarian aid
\nin the province. The second one will focus on reducing the level
\nof violence.<\/p>\n
\"There also will be a monitoring team, consisting of the
\nIndonesian government and Hassan Tiro's group,\" Alwi added,
\nreferring to the self-exiled GAM leader.<\/p>\n
Alwi is scheduled to personally witness the signing of the
\nnote, which will be inked by Indonesia's permanent representative
\nto the United Nations' office in Geneva, Hasan Wirayuda and GAM's
\nhealth minister Zaini Abdullah.<\/p>\n
The foreign ministry's director of international organizations
\nSudjadnan Parnohadiningrat said the note of understanding was
\nvalid for three-months and open for further review.<\/p>\n
\"After the signing, we will have three weeks of preparation
\nand three months after that we will review the note, and decide
\nwhether to extend it or to postpone it,\" Sudjadnan, who is the
\nofficer in charge of the note of understanding, said.<\/p>\n
However, Sudjadnan declined to give details of the committee's
\ntasks and responsibilities.<\/p>\n
\"The written note of understanding will be distributed to the
\npublic soon after the signing,\" he said, adding that the signing
\nwould be the fourth round of meetings between GAM and the
\ngovernment in Geneva.<\/p>\n
Hassan Tiro, who has lived in Sweden since 1979, is said to
\nhave kept a watchful eye on all three meetings.<\/p>\n
\"He did not attend the dialogs himself but he was always
\npresent in the building next to the meeting's venue,\" Sudjadnan
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Separately, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto expressed
\nhope the note of understanding would help reduce casualties and
\nend suffering in the province.<\/p>\n
Peace<\/p>\n
Meanwhile President Abdurrahman Wahid, who was in Bali on
\nFriday, stressed that the territorial integrity of Indonesia was
\nof primary importance in any solution to Aceh.<\/p>\n
He also said any solution should be sought peacefully.<\/p>\n
\"Why peacefully? Because in the past some of our people have
\ntortured Acehnese ... That's why we have to correct and
\ninvestigate past mistakes,\" the President said.<\/p>\n
He frankly admitted that the violence that had occurred in the
\nprovince should not be solely blamed on GAM, saying some former
\nIndonesian military members were also involved.<\/p>\n
\"They were trained by the state and given weapons, but their
\nactions have been despicable. They have to be hunted and
\npunished,\" Abdurrahman asserted.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile international law lecturer at Atmajaya Catholic
\nUniversity in Yogyakarta, Endro Susilo, told The Jakarta Post
\nthat the signing would have no impact on international
\nrecognition of GAM.<\/p>\n
\"Even though our permanent representative signs the note, this
\nwill not lead to international recognition of GAM as a state
\nentity,\" Endro said.<\/p>\n
He argued that with the signing of the note, Indonesia merely
\nconcedes the existence of GAM as limited to the aspects mentioned
\nin the agreement.<\/p>\n
\"We can see this as an internal settlement by Indonesia,\" he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot call the agreement a cease-fire because there are
\nno warring parties there,\" he said adding that GAM was still very
\nfar away from having the prerequisites that it required to enjoy
\ninternational recognition as the representatives of a separate
\ncountry to Indonesia.(dja)<\/p>",
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