AMM's role could be a contentious issue<\/p>\n
Aleksius Jemadu, Bandung<\/p>\n
The success of a monitoring mission involving foreign parties
\nin resolving an intra-state conflict can be achieved as long as
\nthe implementation of the peace agreement satisfies the
\nexpectations of the conflicting parties. What are the
\nexpectations of the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM) as regards the implementation of the peace
\nagreement in Aceh? Both the Indonesian government and GAM
\nacknowledge that the peace agreement is the best result that can
\nbe hoped for from a long process of negotiation. It is a kind of
\nwin-win solution for both sides.<\/p>\n
However, the implementation of the peace agreement may
\neventually flounder on incompatible expectations. It is quite
\nclear that for the Indonesian government the most important thing
\nis that GAM abandons its claim for an independent state and
\ndisarms itself at a time when international donors are closely
\nwatching the post-tsunami reconstruction of Aceh.<\/p>\n
While on the Indonesian side debates about the content of the
\npeace agreement are still going on, GAM appears to be more solid
\nand united in welcoming the peace process. There are various
\nreasons why GAM leaders should feel happier today than they did
\nwhen the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA) was signed in
\n2002.<\/p>\n
First, the current peace agreement has opened the way for GAM
\nto continue its struggle by transforming itself into a local
\npolitical party. The martial law that was imposed by the
\nIndonesian government in May 2003 had a devastating impact on
\nGAM's military structure. Thus, there is no reason for GAM to
\nstick with the military struggle.<\/p>\n
Second, the peace agreement clearly stipulates that Aceh's
\nfuture legislature will be a powerful body. According to the
\nagreement, the Indonesian government needs the consent of the Aceh
\nlegislature whenever it makes strategic decisions related to the
\ninterests of Aceh. GAM has calculated that as a local political
\nparty it will have a good chance of dominating local elections.
\nWhy?<\/p>\n
Most of the Acehnese people still feel let down by Jakarta.
\nYears of abuse of human rights abuses, unfair exploitation of Aceh's
\nnatural resources, and a series of corruption scandals have
\noccupied the collective mind of the Acehnese to such an extent
\nthat they will reject any kind of politics that represents a
\nreturn of Jakarta's dominance. Thus, other local political
\nparties will have a hard time challenging the highly motivated
\nyoung members of GAM. Assuming that the local elections will
\nproduce an overwhelming majority for GAM, doesn't it sound like a
\nreferendum by any other name?<\/p>\n
The third reason for GAM's enthusiasm is the wide authority
\ngiven to the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM). The agreement sets
\nout a list of the AMM's duties. Of particular importance is the
\nfact that the AMM is authorized to monitor changes in the
\nlegislation and launch investigations if such changes deviate from
\nthe principles of the agreement.<\/p>\n
On top of that, it is also clearly stipulated that the head of
\nthe AMM is authorized to rule on any dispute and that his
\nruling is binding on all sides. It even says that if eventually
\nthe two parties cannot agree on the ruling by the AMM head, \"the
\nChairman of the Board of Directors of the Crisis Management
\nInitiative will make a ruling which will be binding on the
\nparties\".<\/p>\n
There are signs that the Indonesian government is beginning to develop a
\ndifferent perception of the role of the AMM. When President Susilo
\nBambang Yudhoyono briefed the military top brass recently on the
\nsubstance of the peace agreement, he convinced them that they
\nshould not worry about the role of the AMM as the body was not
\nauthorized to rule on any dispute between the two sides. He said
\nthat such authority belonged to the central government. This
\nstatement by the President appears to contradict the substance of
\nthe peace agreement.<\/p>\n
The first month of implementation of the peace agreement seems
\nto have passed off smoothly. The biggest test for the survival of
\nthe agreement will arise when it becomes time to change the
\nlegislation and whether the Indonesian government will abide by
\nthe AMM rulings if there are legitimate complaints from GAM
\nregarding incompatibility between the proposed new legislation
\nand the principles contained in the peace agreement. It is very
\nlikely that the Indonesian side will face difficulties in
\nfulfilling its obligations in accordance with those principles.<\/p>\n
All sides should be happy with the fact that today the
\nAcehnese people can enjoy peace. We must not let politicking
\namong the Jakarta elite to disrupt that enjoyment, given that the
\nAcehnese people have been longing for peace for decades.<\/p>\n
The writer is head of the Department of International
\nRelations, Parahyangan University, Bandung. He can be reached at
\naleks@home.unpar.ac.id.<\/p>",
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