Govt, Aceh rebels agree on steps for cease-fire<\/p>\n
Richard Waddington
\nReuters
\nGeneva<\/p>\n
Indonesian officials and Aceh rebels have agreed to work "with
\nall speed" on an effective cease-fire to end decades of bloodshed
\nin the restive province.<\/p>\n
In a joint statement after two days of talks in Switzerland on
\nFriday, the two sides said they had agreed that an autonomy
\npackage offered by the government for the province could be a
\nstarting point for negotiations on a political settlement.<\/p>\n
"To enable this process to take place, both parties agree to
\nwork with all speed on an agreement on cessation of hostilities
\nwith an adequate mechanism for accountability of the parties to
\nsuch an agreement," they said.<\/p>\n
Rebels have been pressing for full independence for Aceh
\nprovince, on the northern tip of Sumatra island, which accounts
\nfor one-fifth of Indonesia's oil and gas exports.<\/p>\n
The statement said that the Geneva-based Henry Dunant Center
\nfor Humanitarian Dialogue, which has been acting as mediator,
\nwould help facilitate talks between "all elements" of Acehnese
\nsociety and get their views on the autonomy package.<\/p>\n
"This will lead to the election of a democratic government in
\nAceh, Indonesia," the statement added, without going into any
\ndetail on its powers.<\/p>\n
Rebel representatives said that the two days of talks, held at
\nan undisclosed location in Switzerland, had brought progress in
\nending a conflict that has cost thousands of lives.<\/p>\n
"We moved closer together," said Zaini Abdullah, a key
\nnegotiator for the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) whose exiled
\nleadership is based in Sweden.<\/p>\n
He said he was optimistic that violence, in which up to 2,000
\npeople are estimated to have been killed in 2001 alone, could
\nsoon be ended. "I am hopeful for a cease-fire. It really has to
\ncome," he said.<\/p>\n
The two sides agreed in June 2000 to stop fighting but the
\ntruce did not last.<\/p>\n
Indonesian officials could not immediately be contacted to
\ncomment on the outcome of the talks, which were attended by
\nseveral international advisers -- including Anthony Zinni, the
\nU.S. special envoy to the Middle East, Britain's Lord Avebury and
\nformer Thai foreign minister Surin Pitsuwan.<\/p>\n
Abdullah said that the plan was for negotiations to resume in
\nSwitzerland in July.<\/p>\n
In Aceh, both the local military and the Free Aceh Movement
\npraised the agreement, saying it was a starting point to seek a
\npermanent, peaceful solution to the prolonged conflict.<\/p>\n
Lt. Col. Firdaus, spokesman for the Iskandar Muda Military
\nCommand overseeing Aceh, told The Jakarta Post in Banda Aceh on
\nSaturday that the military would comply with the cease-fire if
\nthe rebels gave up their arms and resumed normal life.<\/p>\n
"We will continue patrolling all regions in the province to
\nmaintain security and order and create a feeling of safety among
\nthe people. There is no reason for us to shoot rebels if they
\nhave given up their arms and returned to society from their
\nhideouts in the forests," he said.<\/p>\n
He added that the military was also prepared to join the all-
\ninclusive Aceh dialog in the province to seek a comprehensive
\nsolution to the problem.<\/p>\n
Ishak Daud, spokesman for GAM in East Aceh and Peurelak, said
\nthe special autonomy with the implementation of Islamic law would
\nbe a preliminary step to fight for higher objectives for the
\nprovince's future.<\/p>\n
"We are actually criticizing the administration of Nangroe
\nAceh Darussalam and its Islamic law because we are against the
\nspecial autonomy," he said.<\/p>\n
According to him, GAM will continue to wage their guerrilla
\nwar should the local military and police continue patrolling
\nrural areas.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-aceh-rebels-agree-on-steps-for-cease-fire-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}