Indonesia, GAM sign peace agreement<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Representatives of the Indonesian government and
\nFree Aceh Movement (GAM) signed a Joint Understanding on
\nHumanitarian Pause on Friday in Davos, Switzerland, which could
\npave the way for permanent peace in the restive province of Aceh.<\/p>\n
The accord was signed by Indonesia's permanent representative
\nto the United Nations in Geneva Hassan Wirajuda and GAM's health
\nminister Zaini Abdullah at the remote Swiss town at 1:30 p.m.
\nlocal time.<\/p>\n
"The Joint Understanding is an early step of a hundred-step
\njourney in efforts to find a final solution of the Aceh
\nproblem," Hassan said in a statement received here on Friday
\nevening.<\/p>\n
While elements of the Joint Understanding all point toward a
\ncessation of violence, coined under the term "humanitarian
\npause", top Indonesian officials are adamant that the accord
\nshould not be construed as a cease-fire, or even in any way a
\nformal recognition of the rebel group GAM.<\/p>\n
Last minute deliberations from the Indonesian side thwarted
\nforeign minister Alwi Shihab's plan to witnesses the ceremony.<\/p>\n
En route to Geneva, Alwi was abruptly forbidden to attend the
\nsigning ceremony by President Abdurrahman Wahid, who conceded
\nthat it could be misinterpreted as a recognition of GAM.<\/p>\n
The President said he instructed Alwi, who was in the
\nNetherlands at the time, not to go to Geneva, but continue his
\ntrip to Washington to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine
\nAlbright.<\/p>\n
"Only after his meeting with Albright, will Pak Alwi Shihab
\ntalk to the media about the signing of the agreement," said
\nAbdurrahman said here on Friday.<\/p>\n
The President insisted that the government remained firm in
\nits position of not recognizing the existence of the rebel group.
\nHe said he also accepted the reality that GAM does not recognize
\nthe Indonesian government either.<\/p>\n
"It (the accord) absolutely has nothing to do with the
\nrecognition by either the government or GAM," the President said
\nat Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
Contents<\/p>\n
The accord was reached after three rounds of dialog,
\nfacilitated by the Henry Dunant Center for Humanitarian Dialog in
\nSwitzerland.<\/p>\n
The objective "humanitarian pause", so prominently mentioned
\nin the accord, includes delivery of humanitarian assistance to
\nAcehnese affected by the conflict and the provision for security
\nmodalities to support the relief operations and reduce tension
\noverall.<\/p>\n
The accord consists of six articles, containing objectives,
\ncomponents, organizational structure, time frame, transition and public
\ncommunication of the Humanitarian Pause.<\/p>\n
To carry out the accord, two joint committees and a monitoring
\nteam will be setup in Aceh.<\/p>\n
The first committee, the Joint Committee on Humanitarian
\nAction, focuses on the effective delivery of humanitarian relief,
\nwhile the second, the Joint Committee on Security Modalities,
\nfocuses on reducing violence.<\/p>\n
However, this second committee could have far reaching
\nimplications as it is aimed at impeding the movement of "third
\nparty" disruption in the province.<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman Wahid has often stated that there are
\n"certain parties" attempting to disrupt the government's peace
\nefforts.<\/p>\n
The security committee will set up ground rules for
\nhumanitarian activities, guarantee the halt of military action
\nand ensure the police's function of maintaining law and order.<\/p>\n
Each committee will comprise a maximum 10 members while the
\nMonitoring Team consists of five members.<\/p>\n
A Joint Forum will be set up in Geneva as the highest decision
\nmaking body. All mechanisms will come into effect on June 2 and
\nwill be reviewed after three months.<\/p>\n
State Minister of Human Rights Hasballah M. Saad said here
\nthat the makeup of the committees had not been decided, but he
\ninsisted it would consist of people with high integrity and
\ncredibility.<\/p>\n
"The security committee, of course, will consist of authorized
\npeople in the security field, maybe from the National Police and
\nIndonesian Military (TNI), along with GAM's security members,"
\nHasballah said.<\/p>\n
When asked about the possibilities of other armed faction
\nparties besides GAM leader Hassan Tiro's group, Hasballah said:
\n"That is what we are going to monitor, all this time we have only
\nknown one group, GAM".<\/p>\n
Separately, legislators of the House of Representatives
\nCommission II for administration and legal affairs have
\nconditionally expressed support for the Joint Understanding.<\/p>\n
"It's not a problem if the memorandum is for humanitarian
\npurposes and a cease-fire. But it should not lead to another East
\nTimor case," commission chairman Amin Aryoso said referring to
\nthe former Indonesian province.<\/p>\n
But Amin, who represents the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan), expressed regret that the House was
\nnot consulted about the plan.<\/p>\n
"In the future, the government should communicate such things
\nwith the House, at least the foreign minister with the press
\ncommission," he remarked.<\/p>\n
Earlier, researchers from the Indonesian Institute of
\nSciences' Political and Regional Affairs Center expressed their
\nconcern at the foreign ministry's negotiations with GAM,
\ndescribing them as diplomatic misconduct.<\/p>\n
In a statement, they said that as an authorized representative
\nof a sovereign government, the foreign ministry's negotiations
\nwith GAM could create a legal precedent of negotiating with
\nexternal entities.<\/p>\n
"This means recognition, directly or indirectly, of the
\nexistence of GAM as an international actor and no longer part of
\na domestic matter," the statement said. (prb\/dja\/jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-gam-sign-peace-agreement-1447893297",
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