GAM wants talks to be postponed<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) is asking the Indonesian government
\nto postpone indefinitely a meeting planned for Feb. 2 and Feb. 3
\nin Geneva, Switzerland to give the insurgents sufficient time to
\nadjust to the killing of military Commander Tengku Abdullah
\nSyafi'ie last Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Former GAM negotiator Tengku Sofyan Ibrahim Tiba said in Banda
\nAceh, the provincial capital of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam
\nprovince, on Saturday that the secessionist movement needed to
\nmake certain adjustments after the transfer of authority in its
\nmilitary wing.<\/p>\n
Sofyan did not mention how long the movement wanted to delay
\nthe peace talks.<\/p>\n
Last week, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said
\nthe talks would be aimed at discovering whether the separatist
\ngroup would accept fully the special autonomy status now in
\neffect in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's delegation head for the dialog Wiryono
\nSastrohandoyo, who is also the country's former Ambassador to
\nAustralia, was unavailable on Sunday to comment on GAM's request.<\/p>\n
Syafi'ie, his wife Fatimah and five bodyguards were shot dead
\nin a gunfight with the Indonesian Military in the separatist
\nstronghold Cubo, in Pidie regency last Tuesday. Syafi'ie's deputy
\nMuzakkir Manaf has been appointed as the new GAM military
\ncommander.<\/p>\n
Sofyan, who is currently under city arrest in Banda Aceh, said
\nthe delay was also due to persisting violence exercised by the
\nIndonesian military towards GAM members, thus reflecting
\nIndonesia's unclear stance on how to resolve the Aceh question.<\/p>\n
\"The dialog should be postponed until the Indonesian
\ngovernment has a clear stance on how to resolve conflicts in
\nAceh, whether it wants peace talks or violence,\" Sofyan was
\nquoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
Alluding to peace talks initiated by Aceh Governor Abdullah
\nPuteh, Sofyan stressed that GAM would only deal with
\nrepresentatives of the Indonesian government and not with
\nofficials at the provincial level.<\/p>\n
Days before Syafi'ie was killed, Governor Abdullah Puteh sent
\na letter inviting the former military commander to peace talks in
\nthe provincial capital.<\/p>\n
GAM activists accused the governor of conspiring with the
\nmilitary to kill Syafi'ie by attaching a tracking device in the
\ninvitation letter. Governor Abdullah denied the allegation.<\/p>\n
Sofyan said Syafi'ie's death would not hinder the group's will
\nto fight for independence.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri flatly rejected independence
\nfor Aceh and ordered a crackdown shortly after assuming office in
\nJuly.<\/p>\n
The rebel movement was launched in 1975 after years of
\nmilitary abuses in the region. Since then, thousands of people
\nhave been killed, including at least 1,400 last year and about
\n100 in the first weeks of this year.<\/p>\n
After the killing of Syafei'ie, legislators in the House of
\nRepresentatives urged the government to intensify talks with the
\nsecessionist movement in order to avoid more bloodshed in the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
They, however, emphasized that secessionist movements should
\nbe dealt with by military means.<\/p>\n
Previous GAM-RI Dialogs<\/p>\n
May 12, 2000 (Geneva): Three months Humanitarian Pause
\n(Extended for 3 months in September)<\/p>\n
Jan 6, 2001 (Geneva): One month moratorium on violence<\/p>\n
July 2, 2001 (Geneva): Agree to settle the Aceh question
\nthrough dialog<\/p>\n
July 21,2001 (Aceh): Six GAM negotiators detained for
\nand accused of subversion<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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