Govt, GAM undecided on troop withdrawal<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Representatives of the government and
\nthe Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in the highest forum in Geneva have
\nfailed to come to an agreement on the question of a troop
\nwithdrawal, an official said here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The two parties eventually gave up discussing the matter with
\nthe Aceh-based joint security committee set up following the
\nenactment of a humanitarian pause early this month.<\/p>\n
\"There was a stalemate in the talks to decide on the six
\npoints of ground rules concerning security issues in Aceh. Now
\nthat they have entrusted us to carry out the negotiations, we
\nwill try our best,\" Col. Sulaiman A.B., the government
\nrepresentative in the security committee, said here.<\/p>\n
The committee sent six points to Geneva for debate on June 23,
\nafter it reached no agreement here.<\/p>\n
Among the disputed matters is the presence of military and
\npolice personnel, which is a condition agreed upon in terms for
\nthe humanitarian pause approved on May 12.<\/p>\n
GAM has said it wants the police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) in
\nvarious areas in Aceh withdrawn and replaced with approved
\nsecurity guards. It has also proposed a complete withdrawal of
\nthe military from the field to the barracks, a cessation of
\noperations and disarmament.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Indonesian representatives insisted that the
\nongoing Cinta Meunasah police operation, a continuation of
\nOperation Sadar Rencong, must be maintained to restore law and
\norder.<\/p>\n
In a related development, a police officer was stabbed in the
\nneck by an armed gang in Lhokseumawe, the capital of giant
\nindustrial regency North Aceh at about 4 a.m. on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The officer reportedly works as a security guard at state Bank
\nMandiri. Details of the incident are not available.<\/p>\n
Violence in Aceh has killed more than 400 people this year. At
\nleast 40 of them died after the signing of the peace accord in
\nGeneva on May 12. (50\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-gam-undecided-on-troop-withdrawal-1447893297",
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