Govt should allow GAM to join elections<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
The government should allow the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to
\ncontest elections in 2004, Indonesia's chief negotiator for Aceh
\nsaid Friday.<\/p>\n
\"We need to find a way to enable GAM to participate in the
\npolitical process,\" Wiryono Sastrohandoyo said at a seminar on
\nAceh held by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies
\n(CSIS).<\/p>\n
\"What we want is to ask them to return as citizens who are
\nable to participate in politics in Indonesia.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Banda Aceh, the Joint Security Committee (JSC)
\nsaid it was having difficulty investigating 28 reported ceasefire
\nviolations as witnesses were too scared to testify.<\/p>\n
The government and GAM agreed to cease hostilities on Dec. 9,
\n2002, the most important success to date in attempts to end the
\n26-year-old conflict in the natural resources-rich province.<\/p>\n
As the country prepares to hold general elections in 2004, the
\ngovernment must seek ways to include GAM.<\/p>\n
Experts have called on the government and the House of
\nRepresentatives to allow the Achenese to establish their own
\npolitical parties. The move could also provide a solution to
\naccommodating GAM as a political movement.<\/p>\n
The idea is not included in the bill on general elections
\ncurrently being deliberated by the House.<\/p>\n
Wiryono said the government must continue negotiating with GAM
\nover the separatist's demands that they not be tried for alleged
\nhuman rights abuses.<\/p>\n
\"One of my duties is negotiating the issue,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He also said the government should speed up its humanitarian
\nassistance to GAM to empower them to get involved in
\nadministering Aceh.<\/p>\n
Wiryono hoped that Indonesian people started thinking of GAM
\nas a brother and treated them as part of the Indonesian family.<\/p>\n
\"They were once disappointed and then raised guns against the
\ngovernment ... we must understand their position ... the province
\nhas rich natural resources but has received little gain,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He was optimistic peace would finally be realized in Aceh
\nbecause both Indonesian and GAM forces had a strong commitment to
\nending hostilities.<\/p>\n
Fatalities have dropped from 87 per month to 11 after the
\nsigning of the peace agreement, although violence has not ceased
\ntotally.<\/p>\n
However, former Army deputy chief Lt. Gen. (ret) Kiki
\nSyahnakri told the seminar that allowing GAM to become a
\npolitical movement would only be another government blunder.<\/p>\n
He cited the government's failure to handle the East Timor
\nproblem, which ended with the province gaining independence.<\/p>\n
Kiki was pessimistic the peace deal would end GAM's rebellion.<\/p>\n
As an example, he said GAM had held a public meeting on Jan. 3
\nto Jan. 5, to, among other things, recruit new military officers
\nand set up a shadow government in every village in Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"The agreement only reduces the Indonesian Military's power to
\nsecure Aceh, but increases the opportunity for GAM to do many
\nthings,\" he said.<\/p>\n
At least 10,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed
\nsince GAM began its struggle for independence in 1976.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-should-allow-gam-to-join-elections-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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