Expectations high for new accord on Aceh<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Director general of political affairs at the
\nForeign Ministry Nur Hassan Wirajuda expressed high expectation
\nover the success of the new accord to reduce violence signed by
\nrepresentatives of the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM) late Friday.<\/p>\n
"Over the past week ... the new arrangement has proven -- at
\nleast until today and hopefully until the 20th when they meet --
\nthat it has been able to reduce the violence," Hassan said as
\nquoted by Reuters upon leaving Geneva.<\/p>\n
"The next step is an all-inclusive political dialog in Aceh
\nitself, in which GAM would be a participant," he added.<\/p>\n
Hassan, who led Jakarta's delegation in the meting, also said
\nhe expected the deal to be reviewed every three to six months,
\nwith the venues for such reviews shifting to the province.<\/p>\n
Representatives of the Indonesian government and GAM rebels
\nhave agreed to a new accord to reduce violence, a joint statement
\nreleased late Friday said.<\/p>\n
The statement, issued at the end of two days of talks, said a
\n"new security arrangement" had replaced the one-month moratorium
\nthat ended on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The statement said the new security arrangement would continue
\nindefinitely with periodic reviews.<\/p>\n
Hassan said both sides had agreed to hold a "commanders'
\nmeeting" in Aceh's capital Banda Aceh on the 20th of this month
\nto discuss and proceed with the new security arrangement.<\/p>\n
There was no immediate comment from the GAM delegation, led by
\nTengku Ilyas Mohamad Abe and Sofyan Ibrahim Tiba, or from the GAM
\nleadership based in Stockholm, Sweden.<\/p>\n
But the statement said that despite the "continuing and
\nregrettable violence" during the one-month moratorium agreed in
\nJanuary, both sides noted that the number of violent incidents in
\nAceh had dropped to just 58 from 259 the previous month.<\/p>\n
Both sides had been "greatly encouraged" by the first ever
\nmeeting of field commanders in Banda Aceh on Feb. 9 and 10, which
\nhad resulted in the setting up a "hotline" -- through satellite
\nphones -- to prevent violence.<\/p>\n
"The 'hotline' has been used frequently," the statement added.<\/p>\n
The face-to-face meetings between commanders are being
\nexpanded to all 13 districts and will include both Indonesian
\npolice and military as well as the rebels' operations commanders,
\nit said.<\/p>\n
Back in Aceh, violence continued to rage in the province
\ndespite the "new security arrangement".<\/p>\n
In East Aceh, Sgt. Maj. Paijo, a member of the Manyak Payed
\nmilitary subdistrict command was killed after a group of 10
\nalleged rebels stabbed him to death around 3:30 p.m. on Friday in
\nSeunubok Dalam village, Cinta Meunasah special operation
\nspokesman Sr. Comr. Kusbini Imbar told The Jakarta Post by phone
\nfrom Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
Early on Saturday at around 12:30 a.m., an explosion took
\nplace at the BCA bank's Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) on Jl.
\nTengku Panglima Polim in Banda Aceh, but no casualties were
\nreported.<\/p>\n
Separately, four ambushes took place in North Aceh on Friday.
\nThe last was an attack by GAM rebels on a security post in the
\nBukit Indah Mobil Oil complex at around 10:45 p.m., Kusbini
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Other attacks by GAM rebels on Friday included one on the
\nSyamtalira Bayu police station, a passing vehicle in Muara Dua
\ndistrict in North Aceh and on a regency hall in the Bireun area,
\nthe officer said.<\/p>\n
The Cinta Meunasah special operation, meant to restore law and
\norder to the province, will expire on Sunday and will be followed
\nup by its second phase which will involve some 2,000 combined
\nmilitary and police personnel. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/expectations-high-for-new-accord-on-aceh-1447893297",
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