Govt, GAM must show commitment to peace<\/p>\n
Aboeprijadi Santoso, Contributor, Geneva<\/p>\n
\"Take the guns out of the politics and let us together build a
\npeaceful, democratic and peaceful Aceh within the framework of
\nthe Republic of Indonesia,\" said Coordinating Minister for
\nPolitical and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the
\noffice of Indonesia's Permanent Representative in Geneva, after
\nthe signing of the peace agreement with the rebel Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM) on Monday.<\/p>\n
Separately, and equally adamant, Dr. Zaini Abdullah of GAM,
\nsitting next to his boss, \"the Prime Minister of Neugara Aceh\"
\nMalik Mahmud, said that GAM was still striving for an independent
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
\"The achievement made today is the direct result of the
\nstruggle and sacrifices of our people. It is our pledge and
\ncommitment to accept whatever democratic decision they take,\"
\nsaid Zaini.<\/p>\n
In other words, both sides of the conflict are still a long
\nway from a solution in Aceh. Substantially, they still differ
\ngreatly, yet both hailed the Dec. 9 agreement as a \"milestone\".<\/p>\n
For the third time -- the first and second were in January
\n2001 and May 2002 joint statements -- both sides confirmed their
\ncommitment, in an elaborate agreement, to respecting a democratic
\nprocess in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Unlike the earlier statements, the text this time is more
\nelaborate, focusing on the attempt to halt the bloodshed in the
\nprovince. Rather than a peace accord, this agreement is modestly
\ncalled \"The Cessation of Hostilities Agreement\". It reflects a
\ndeep awareness on the part of both sides of the complexity of the
\nsituation and the initial nature of the steps to be taken toward
\na solution.<\/p>\n
If implemented, it will begin a process toward a democratic
\nsolution in Aceh. At the same time, it is in the interest of both
\nsides to show the international community that they are now fully
\ncommitted to an agreement to end the bloodshed and hostilities.<\/p>\n
For, unlike with the earlier agreements, the Henry Dunant
\nCentre (HDC), as mediator, is now strengthened by U.S. Marine
\nGen. Anthony Zinni and two former foreign ministers (from
\nThailand and Yugoslavia).<\/p>\n
Likewise, its monitoring teams will include personnel from
\nforeign militaries, who will operate under the HDC flag.<\/p>\n
The nine-article agreement is expected to become the basis for
\nan all-inclusive dialog among various groups of Acehnese, which
\nin turn will define the nature of the election in 2004 of an
\nAcehnese administration. This point is in accordance with the May
\nagreement, which serves as a basis for the present one. In this
\nway it is hoped that both RI and GAM will play the game according
\nto democratic rules.<\/p>\n
But GAM representatives said in Geneva they were confident the
\ndialog would not lead to an acceptance of the special autonomy
\npackage called NAD (Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam), so they hoped the
\nprocess would enable the 2004 elections to choose an independent
\nand democratic Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"There are going to be two general elections in 2004, one for
\nIndonesia and one for Aceh. The latter will shape a new Acehnese
\ngovernment,\" said Nur Djuli, a member of the GAM delegation.<\/p>\n
\"We do not need to call it a referendum,\" added Malik Mahmud.<\/p>\n
It all depends on the all-inclusive dialog in Aceh. If NAD is
\nrejected, the Aceh elections will result in an independent Aceh.
\nConversely, \"if NAD is agreed upon, GAM should accept that Aceh
\nwill remain part of RI\", Malik said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian negotiator Wiryono Sastrohandoyo concurred,
\nsaying the whole process of reviewing NAD should be a democratic
\none. \"Whatever the result, we should accept it. We are a
\ndemocratic country, aren't we?\"<\/p>\n
In any case, he emphasized, the result will be a new Aceh
\ngovernment within the framework of the unitary state of
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
But there are numerous sensitive and substantive issues ahead.
\nFirst the agreement of cessation of hostilities must be
\nimplemented and implemented successfully. The demilitarization of
\nAceh should result in \"peace zones\" where Indonesia and the Tokyo
\ndonor countries can concentrate on humanitarian and development
\naid.<\/p>\n
Some observers saw the siege at Cot Trieng and the Tokyo
\nmeeting of donor countries as simultaneous military and
\ndiplomatic offenses to show Jakarta's determination to resolve
\nthe Aceh conflict \"once and for all\".<\/p>\n
Indonesian delegates believe the first two months of the peace
\nagreement will be a period of adjustment to the new norms and
\nconditions on the ground, but that the subsequent five months
\nshould enable the two sides to proceed to the next phase -- that
\nof defining the modalities of the all-inclusive dialog.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, one point is likely to be crucial, i.e. whether
\nthere will be enough monitors to control the implementation of
\nthe peace process. The agreed upon number of 150 observers (50
\nfrom Indonesia, 50 from GAM and 50 from HDC) is here seen as
\nproblematic.<\/p>\n
But Indonesia's political czar Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
\nrecalling his experience in the former Yugoslavia where his
\nmission worked with some 600 military observers, said 150
\nobservers should be effective, although he didn't seem to
\npreclude expanding the monitoring team.<\/p>\n
Malik Mahmud of GAM, on the other hand, expressed skepticism
\nabout the agreed upon number, but emphasized \"at least now we
\nhave an agreement to start the peace process\".<\/p>\n
Some independent sources here recalled that even 1,000 lightly
\narmed civilian UN-Civpols in East Timor -- an area much smaller
\nthan Aceh with a population only a fourth of Aceh's -- in 1999
\nwere unable to prevent the Indonesian Army from disrupting the
\npeace process and committing massacres.<\/p>\n
Yet the agreement has been hailed as a great achievement by
\nthe HDC, Indonesia and GAM. In contrast to the joint statement of
\nJanuary 2001, however, the agreement made no reference to the
\nhuman rights violations by both sides. It also only summarily
\nrefers to the role in the peace process of the civil society,
\nmany of whose members -- NGO, human rights and student activists
\n-- were killed during the conflict.<\/p>\n
But as an initial pact to end a bloody conflict on the ground,
\nthe agreement is generally considered to be a significant step.
\nHaving received credit for this, the HDC and both sides of the
\nconflict now have to prove their commitment to peace on the
\nground. Only then will the agreement be meaningful for the
\nAcehnese.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-gam-must-show-commitment-to-peace-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}