CMI: Special autonomy the only alternative<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Top-level delegations of the Indonesian government and the Free
\nAceh Movement (GAM) kicked off a second round of peace talks on
\nMonday, with a strong message that special autonomy for Aceh
\nwould be the only consideration on the agenda.<\/p>\n
"I think it's extremely important that everyone understands
\nthat we are not starting negotiations, and they are not open, as
\nsuch, so that all possible alternatives could be considered. We
\nonly have one (alternative)," former Finnish president Maarti
\nAhtisaari, the chairman of facilitator group Crisis Management
\nInitiative (CMI) said as quoted by Reuters.<\/p>\n
"The whole exercise is aimed at looking at whether the
\npossibility of ... special autonomy can actually provide the
\nbasis for ending the armed conflict."<\/p>\n
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said that
\nhis government would discuss "special autonomy and topics around
\nthat" for Aceh, where over 12,000 have been killed in three
\ndecades of fighting.<\/p>\n
The autonomy deal Jakarta has offered includes concessions
\ntowards self-rule and Islamic law in the devout Muslim province
\nand a larger slice of the revenue earned by the province's
\nnatural resources.<\/p>\n
GAM spokesman Bachtiar Abdullah, however, said special
\nautonomy, or any other political solution, should not be listed
\nas the top agenda for the talks. He stressed a cessation of
\nhostilities in the province was more urgent for the time being.<\/p>\n
"If special autonomy is part of 'the peace package', then it
\nshould not be top of the list. The Indonesian government can
\noffer it (the special autonomy) now, but we can discuss it months
\nlater only after both parties are able to prove their commitment
\nto a cease-fire," Abdullah told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
In the January meeting, GAM highlighted three points as its
\ndesired first steps for the conflict resolution in Aceh,
\nincluding a cease-fire, the withdrawal of the 40,000-strong
\nIndonesian force from Aceh and the lifting of the state of
\nemergency in the province.<\/p>\n
But Ahtisaari said a cease-fire should be part of a more
\ncomprehensive peace deal rather than an end in itself.<\/p>\n
"We need the security arrangement, disarmament of people, but
\nthat has to come as part of an overall package that consists of
\nmany other details," he said.<\/p>\n
Brought together by the Dec. 26 tsunami that devastated Aceh
\nand parts of North Sumatra, where more than 235,000 people died
\nor went missing, the two sides first met in Helsinki in late
\nJanuary.<\/p>\n
It was the first face-to-face meeting between Indonesia and
\nthe GAM since 2003 and proved constructive enough to spark
\nfurther talks aimed at a lasting peace for the gas-rich province
\non the northern tip of Sumatra island.<\/p>\n
While the Helsinki talks were underway, violence broke out in
\nseparate locations in Aceh, leaving one soldier dead and seven
\nothers wounded on Sunday.<\/p>\n
An Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman, Col. D.J. Nachrowi,
\nsaid on Monday the troops were killed and injured in a gun battle
\nin Harapan village, West Aceh.<\/p>\n
Another clash between GAM and TNI soldiers also occurred on
\nSaturday along Aceh's west coast as the U.N.-affiliated
\nInternational Organization for Migration was hauling goods and
\nsupplies destined for survivors, a spokeswoman said.<\/p>\n
According to Simona Opitz, the organization's spokeswoman, one
\nsoldier was slightly injured in the fighting. She said no IOM
\nmembers were targeted by the rebels.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cmi-special-autonomy-the-only-alternative-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}