Govt, GAM invited to return to negotiation table<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government's stated intention of settling the Aceh conflict
\nthrough peaceful means is facing a litmus test after the
\nSwitzerland-based Henry Dunant Centre (HDC) invited the
\ngovernment and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to return to the
\nnegotiating table.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Wednesday that the government
\nhad received an invitation from HDC, but he refused to say
\nwhether the government would accept.<\/p>\n
GAM spokesman Bachtiar Abdullah said on Wednesday that GAM had
\nagreed to attend the dialog in Switzerland.<\/p>\n
HDC has been brokering the peace talks since 2000.<\/p>\n
\"Basically, the government is serious about opening the way
\nfor dialog and there is no deadline,\" Susilo said.<\/p>\n
In a new policy announced on Monday by Susilo himself, the
\ngovernment had given GAM a December deadline to accept its offer
\nfor a special autonomy for Aceh as the prerequisite for any
\nfurther talks. A failure to meet the deadline would mean Aceh
\nwould have to face the full brunt of the military's might, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The policy, however, has been roundly criticized by noted
\nreligious leaders and non-governmental organizations, arguing
\nthat military operations would not resolve the conflict there.<\/p>\n
\"A military approach will not solve the complicated problem,
\nunless we plan to destroy the whole territory,\" Muhammadiyah
\nChairman Syafii Ma'arif said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Launching a full-blown war against GAM, which has been
\nfighting for independence since 1976, would run the risk of
\nreducing the Aceh question to merely a security problem, he
\nadded, while ignoring the fact that the rebellion there was
\ntriggered by disappointment over the central government's
\ninability to keep numerous promises dating back to the early
\n1950s.<\/p>\n
The Acehnese were particularly disappointed with the
\ngovernment's failure to give the province a special status in
\nterms of education, culture and religion as promised by first
\npresident Sukarno after the Acehnese agreed to help Indonesia in
\nits independence rebellion against colonial rule.<\/p>\n
Their disappointment was further exacerbated by the treatment
\nby the central government, which has systematically siphoned off
\nmuch of its resources, leaving the province impoverished and
\nbehind most provinces in the country in terms of economic
\ndevelopment.<\/p>\n
The demands of Acehnese religious leaders to bring to justice
\nmilitary personnel accused of human rights abuses there from 1988
\nto 1998 have also been ignored by the central government.<\/p>\n
Former president Soeharto declared Aceh as a military
\noperation area in 1988, a status that was revoked only by his
\nsuccessor B.J. Habibie in 1998. Thousands of people, mostly
\ninnocent civilians, were killed in that period, and thousands
\nmore are still missing, presumed dead.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, an informal group of public figures committed to
\nsolving the Aceh issue through peaceful means called for the
\nestablishment of a National Committee for Aceh Settlement to help
\nfind the best solution to the province's problem.<\/p>\n
Group member Ismail Hasan Metareum, an Acehnese, said
\nWednesday that the committee members consisted of intelligent,
\nnon-governmental people who know Aceh's problem and understand
\nAcehnese culture.<\/p>\n
Aside from Ismail Hassan Metareum, the members include former
\nforeign affairs minister Ali Alatas, noted Muslim scholar
\nNurcholish Madjid, former Jakarta governor Surjadi Soedirdja,
\nMuslim cleric Alie Yafie and Muhammadiyah Chairman Syafii
\nMa'arif.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the suggestions, Minister Susilo said that the
\ngovernment welcomed input from all groups.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Aceh leaders-in-exile, including Hasan di Tiro
\nrecently changed the name of their movement to the \"State of
\nAceh\".<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-gam-invited-to-return-to-negotiation-table-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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