Independent domestic team seeks internal solution to Aceh<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
An independent team of five prominent public figures is
\nworking to expedite a solution to the conflict in Aceh, advising
\nthe government not to impose a state of civil emergency on the
\nrestive province.<\/p>\n
Team member and chairman of the country's second largest
\nMuslim organization Muhammadiyah Syafi'i Maarif said on Thursday
\nthat the team had started to work a week ago.<\/p>\n
Syafi'i said he expected his team would make a viable counter
\nto foreign efforts in bringing peace to Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"We always depend on foreigners because from domestic side, we
\ndon't have a counterpart to solve Aceh problems,\" Syafi'i said
\nwhen asked to comment about the visit of retired U.S. general
\nAnthony Zinni to Aceh.<\/p>\n
Syafi'i said he and others in the team were approached by
\nAcehnese figures in Jakarta who asked them to help end the more
\nthan 25 year long conflict in Aceh. He did not say who the
\nAcehnese were.<\/p>\n
The others team members, Syafi'i said were noted Muslim
\nscholar Nurcholish Madjid, former foreign minister Ali Alatas,
\nformer minister of home affairs Surjadi Soedirja, and former
\nmember of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI), Ali Yafie.<\/p>\n
\"Hopefully, five of us can work better,\" he said on the
\nsidelines of a joint seminar by the Nadhlatul Ulama, the
\ncountry's biggest Muslim organization, and American business
\nconsultancy company PT CastleAsia.<\/p>\n
Syafi'i said the team would provide inputs to the government
\nand the public.<\/p>\n
He added that in the week the team had worked, they advised
\nthe government against a civil emergency status.<\/p>\n
\"The team is very independent, we work voluntarily,\" Syafi'i
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
A three-month standstill in peace talks and unabated violence
\nspark concern the military might regain control over the province
\nwhich suffers from human right abuses in the 10 years under the
\nso-called Military Operations Area (DOM).<\/p>\n
The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has been fighting for
\nindependence in the province since 1976. The conflict has since
\nclaimed around 10,000 lives, many of whom are civilians,
\naccording to estimates by human rights bodies.<\/p>\n
Negotiation with GAM since 1998 is at risk of collapsing amid
\na surge of violence over the past few months. In May, a deal to
\ncease hostility and hold an all inclusive dialogue among Acehnese
\nfailed to materialize as both sides remain locked in sporadic gun
\nfighting.<\/p>\n
In a three-day visit earlier this week, advisor to the Geneva
\nbased Henry Dunant Centre (HDC), Zinni toured the province in
\nhope to get both sides return to the negotiation table.<\/p>\n
Zinni met on Wednesday Aceh's Iskandar Muda Military Commander
\nMaj. Gen. Djali Yusuf, who asked the U.S. mediator replace GAM
\nnegotiators with those owning greater authority.<\/p>\n
The spokesman to the military command, Firdaus Komarno said
\nDjali told Zinni the current GAM negotiators failed to get
\nmembers of their group comply to agreements they reached over the
\ntable.<\/p>\n
\"They (GAM negotiators) have no authority to control their
\nforces on the ground. That's why GAM cannot implement our
\nagreements at the lower level,\" Firdaus quoted Djali as saying.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Zinni met with GAM negotiators, local activists, and
\nAceh Police Chief Insp. Gen. Yusuf Manggabarani.<\/p>\n
By law the police is in charge of domestic security but the
\nmilitary is called in when facing armed groups such as GAM.<\/p>\n
Around 40 members of a 140 strong anti-guerrilla troop of the
\npolice's elite force Brimob were sent off to Aceh on Wednesday,
\nAntara reported. They will add to the 12,000 police members
\nalready present in Aceh.<\/p>\n
The military has 21,000 members in Aceh and last month asked
\nthe government for another 4,000 soldiers -- a bid which at that
\ntime had gained a favorable response from the government and some
\nlegislators.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/independent-domestic-team-seeks-internal-solution-to-aceh-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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