House still split over Aceh peace deal<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The leaders of the House of Representatives are divided on
\nwhether or not the body's official seal of approval is needed for
\nthe peace agreement between the government and the Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM) to become legally effective.<\/p>\n
The leaders expressed their views ahead of Tuesday's meeting
\nbetween House speakers, commission leaders and faction leaders
\nand president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to discuss the peace
\naccord, which is expected to be signed in Helsinki, Finland, on
\nAug. 15. The deal would put an end to three decades of conflict
\nin the resource-rich province of Aceh.<\/p>\n
Deputy speaker Zaenal Maarif of the Reform Star Party said
\nthat the accord did not need the approval of the House because it
\nwas purely a domestic affair.<\/p>\n
\"The signing of the Helsinki agreement does not require the
\nHouse's approval because it is between Indonesian parties and
\ndoes not involve a foreign country.\" he asserted, as quoted by
\nAntara. \"We have to appreciate the government's breakthrough.\"<\/p>\n
On the other hand, the deputy chairman of Commission I on
\ndefense and foreign relations, Effendy Choirie, said that because
\ninternational security monitors were involved, the House's
\napproval was needed.<\/p>\n
\"Even though the bulk of the agreement is between the
\nIndonesian government and a domestic separatist movement, the
\naccord still involves foreign parties,\" he added.<\/p>\n
He said that his faction, the National Awakening Party (PKB),
\nwould officially ask for the reconvening of a special plenary
\nsession of the House to discuss the peace accord.<\/p>\n
He said that if the House did not state its official position
\non the accord, it would not be responsible for any resulting
\nfailures.<\/p>\n
\"The risk would lie solely with the government,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He also questioned the validity of the presence of
\ninternational observers in Aceh ahead of the signing of the
\nagreement.<\/p>\n
\"The agreement has not been signed, yet foreign observers are
\nalready in Aceh. What is going on and why must foreigners be
\ninvolved?\" asked Choirie.<\/p>\n
Maarif said that the presence of the observers before the
\nsigning should not be turned into a political issue.<\/p>\n
\"They are probably there just to do some early preparations,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Head of the Democratic Pioneer Star faction Djamaluddin Karim
\nsaid that they were not against the Helsinki agreement, but
\ninsisted that the House's approval was needed for two sensitive
\nissues in the agreement: amnesty for GAM members and the
\nestablishment of local political parties in Aceh.<\/p>\n
He said that his faction was debating about whether or not GAM
\nmembers should be allowed to set up their own local political
\nparties in the province.<\/p>\n
Tjahjo Kumolo, who heads the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle faction, who has been a strong opponent of the Helsinki
\nagreement, said his faction would attend the consultative meeting
\nwith the President.<\/p>\n
\"We refuse the agreement,\" he said. \"However, we will attend
\nthe consultative meeting.\"<\/p>\n
He said he would lodge a protest with the government because
\nthe negotiations took place on foreign soil, was sponsored by a
\nforeign party and did not involve Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign
\nAffairs.<\/p>\n
Under the draft peace deal, the Indonesian Military (TNI) will
\nhave to withdraw its reinforcement troops within three months of
\nthe signing, while the rebels have to immediately hand over their
\nweaponry for destruction. The process will be supervised by a
\ngroup of independent foreign monitors.<\/p>\n
Two previous governments had attempted to secure peace with
\nGAM, but both of those failed.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-still-split-over-aceh-peace-deal-1447893297",
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