Govt, HDC hold meeting to fix peace deal violations<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government and the Henry Dunant Centre (HDC) began a two-day
\nmeeting on Thursday to hammer out what constitutes a violation of
\nthe demilitarization process in Aceh, more than three months
\nafter Jakarta and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed a Cessation
\nof Hostilities agreement in Geneva, Switzerland in December 2002.<\/p>\n
The government was represented by Coordinating Minister for
\nPolitical and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Minister
\nof Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda, National Police chief Gen.
\nDa'i Bachtiar and Indonesia Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono
\nSutarto, while the HDC was represented by chairman Martin
\nGriffith and HDC director for Aceh Affairs David Gorman.<\/p>\n
Endriartono said on Thursday that the talks were aimed at
\nformulating the criteria for violations of the truce, which has
\nsparked a debate between the government and GAM following the
\ndemilitarization phase on Feb. 9.<\/p>\n
\"We don't know their assumptions. That is why we are holding
\nthis meeting to discuss the matter,\" Endriartono said after the
\nmeeting, which is expected to end on Friday.<\/p>\n
The government, Endriartono said, proposed two main points
\nduring the discussion. The first point was about the disarmament
\nof GAM, and the second was about a possible independence campaign
\nduring the demilitarization phase.<\/p>\n
Endriartono said the government understood that the Joint
\nSecurity Committee (JSC) was facing difficulty in disarming GAM
\nas the peace facilitator had no accurate information on the
\nnumber of firearms or ammunition GAM possessed and it did not
\nhave enough monitors to observe the disarmament.<\/p>\n
The JSC, which is charged with monitoring the peace process,
\ngroups representatives from the Indonesian government and GAM, as
\nwell as foreign monitors, who represent the HDC and are led by a
\nThai general.<\/p>\n
The demilitarization agreement took effect two months after
\nthe signing of a peace accord aimed at ending 26 years of
\nhostilities in the resource-rich province.<\/p>\n
Under the agreement, GAM is expected to lay down 20 percent of
\nits arms at 32 secret designated sites in eight regencies across
\nAceh every month until July. The TNI and the police, on the other
\nhand, have had to move back to their barracks and change their
\nposition from a strike force to a defensive one.<\/p>\n
\"No firearms are to be found in Aceh in July. Otherwise, we
\nwill consider it a crime and the case will be handled accordingly
\nby the police,\" Endriartono said.<\/p>\n
The government, according to Endriartono, also proposed that
\nany independence campaign in Aceh would be considered a violation
\nof the truce.<\/p>\n
Endriartono said the HDC would assess the government proposal
\nand discuss it later with GAM.<\/p>\n
The Geneva-based HDC has brokered peace talks between the
\ngovernment and GAM since 2000, including last year's truce.
\nPrevious cease-fires have never lasted.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, JSC's representative office in Takengon,
\nCentral Aceh was attacked by mobs, prompting JSC to evacuate its
\npersonnel to Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Thai armed forces commander Gen. Surayud Chulanont
\narrived in Banda Aceh on Thursday to visit Thai officers
\nmonitoring the cease-fire.<\/p>\n
Surayud, who had arrived on Wednesday in Jakarta with a
\ndelegation of 12 officers, was scheduled to meet Governor
\nAbdullah Puteh for a briefing, said Thai General Tanongsuk
\nTuvinun.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-hdc-hold-meeting-to-fix-peace-deal-violations-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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