GAM establish embassy on Vanuatu : Report<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government has asked Vanuatu to clarify a report that the
\nFree Aceh Movement has been allowed to establish a representative
\noffice on the small south-west Pacific islands nation.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in Jakarta on Tuesday that the
\ngovernment would file a strong protest if the report was true.<\/p>\n
GAM's government-in-exile claimed to have opened an embassy in
\nVanuatu over the weekend, which would make the nation, located in
\nthe New Hebrides archipelago, the first to recognize the rebels.<\/p>\n
A statement issued by Malik Mahmud, the prime minister-in-
\nexile of the \"State of Aceh\", said: \"This event took place (on
\nSunday) in Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, during a ceremony
\nof the opening of the Joint Chanceries of the Embassies of Aceh,
\nPapua and Maluku by His Excellency Mr. Serge R. Vohor, the Deputy
\nPrime Minister of Vanuatu.\"<\/p>\n
\"For the Acehnese people, this historic event represents the
\nfirst recognition by a nation-state, of the legitimate right of
\nthe Acehnese to determine their own political future.\"<\/p>\n
A copy of Mahmud's statement was made available to Deutsche
\nPresse-Agentur (dpa) in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
In March this year, Vanuatu allowed the Free Papua Movement
\n(OPM) to establish an office in Port Vila.<\/p>\n
Vanuatu said at the time that allowing the OPM to establish an
\noffice did not mean that it recognized formal diplomatic
\nrelations with the rebel movement, insisting the office had no
\nofficial diplomatic status.<\/p>\n
Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said
\nthat if the report was true, the attitude of the Vanuatu
\ngovernment could damage the reputation and international support
\nfor the Indonesian government.<\/p>\n
It would not be consistent with what Vanuatu has allowed in
\nthe past, Natalegawa told dpa in a telephone interview from
\nAuckland, New Zealand.<\/p>\n
\"This so-called opening would not have any legal standing
\nwhatsoever, because there is not a single country in the world
\nthat recognizes Aceh,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The OPM, GAM and the Republic of South Maluku (RMS) have been
\nstruggling for independence from Indonesia for decades.<\/p>\n
Aceh and Papua are rich in resources but the development of
\nthe provinces, particularly in Papua, has lagged well behind
\nother parts of Indonesia. Once thriving Maluku has been
\ndevastated by years of religious clashes against outside
\nelements, mainly from Java.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gam-establish-embassy-on-vanuatu-report-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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