Irresponsible statements from politicians in Jakarta is the
\nlast thing Acehnese need at this time, post-disaster. Yet this is
\nwhat we hear from members of the House of Representatives in
\nJakarta, as they issue statements criticizing the peace talks in
\nHelsinki.<\/p>\n
Tjahjo Kumolo, the chairman of Indonesian Democracy Party of
\nStruggle (PDI-P) faction, has described the negotiations as a
\nwaste of time. Others have said that there has been too much talk
\nand no concrete results.<\/p>\n
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Soetardjo
\nSoerjogoeritno has also urged the government to halt negotiations
\nwith the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) because he says it has
\n\"internationalized\" the conflict in Aceh.<\/p>\n
What they are saying, in effect, is \"forget about peace\". All
\nthis after the hundreds of thousands of deaths in the tsunami.
\nAfter the deaths of thousands more in conflict; after many
\nAcehnese expressed their dreams for peace, it is immensely
\nirresponsible, arrogant and ignorant for those in Jakarta to
\nderail the negotiations. Many Acehnese, meanwhile, including the
\nmajority of the province's regents, continue to express their
\nsupport and hopes for the process.<\/p>\n
There are many Acehnese that do view the Helsinki process as
\ninadequate. The exclusion, for example, of civil society groups
\nfrom the process has been a major cause of concern. But many in
\nAceh continue to support negotiations as they hope it can be the
\nbeginning of the end to the decades of violence.<\/p>\n
The majority hope that the talks will continue, disputes can
\nbe settled, and peace can be fully implemented in order that
\nlives can begin anew.<\/p>\n
Armed conflict is not an option anymore, but peace is.
\nBuilding a sustainable peace in Aceh is a critical condition for
\nreconstruction and the rebuilding of hope in Aceh. But this is
\nfar from easy in any situation, even more so where -- as in Aceh
\n-- the conflict has been entrenched for so many years.<\/p>\n
These dissenting voices from the national legislature are
\nfailing to look at the many points of agreement reached by the
\ngovernment and GAM in this process. Nor have they looked at the
\npotential common ground that can be found. They are focussing
\ninstead on a substantively irrelevant aspect of the talks. This
\nis the question of an international role in the process.<\/p>\n
For some of them, this rebuffing of foreign help is
\nattributable to concerns that international involvement could
\nresult in Aceh becoming another East Timor. This phenomena, call
\nit post-East Timor Syndrome, has promoted a kind of endemic
\nparanoia, whereby any international group trying to mediate or
\nhelp the peace process must be some kind of Trojan horse: A gift
\nbrought to our house, but carrying the enemy within to destroy
\nour home.<\/p>\n
So instead of looking at foreign contributions to the
\nnegotiation and settlement process as an opportunity, this is
\nseen as yet another reason to reject the talks. In a letter from
\nsome DPR members to the government, it was stated that the
\ngovernment plan to allow observers into the process would
\ninternationalize the situation in Aceh. The government, they
\nsaid, should not allow foreigners to be involved.<\/p>\n
This aspect of the international role is a denial of a
\nnecessary reality given that Aceh has already become an
\ninternationally recognized disaster area in the wake of the
\ntsunami. During the rebuilding phase at least, Aceh can no longer
\nbe said to be \"owned\" simply by the Acehnese and Indonesia, it is
\nalso an interest of the international community. Huge sums of
\nmoney, aid and help for Aceh has come from all parts of the
\nworld.<\/p>\n
In terms of building peace, the involvement of the
\ninternational community is also important in Aceh. There are
\nongoing problems in efforts to build trust between the Acehnese
\nand the government, thanks to the endless military operations in
\nAceh, so external mediation such as that offered to the Acehnese
\npeace process by the international community must be made
\nwelcome. Indonesian has done this very same thing, offering its
\nofficials in mediating roles for conflicts in other Asian
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
The opposition to the negotiation process by sections of the
\nIndonesian public also needs to be addressed -- immediately -- by
\nthe government if they are serious about finding a route to peace
\nin Aceh. The main obstacle thrown up by this opposition is not
\nthe hostility itself but how the government works to challenge or
\ncontain it.<\/p>\n
The hostility towards fuel price hikes was far more widespread
\nthan that seen in resistance to the Helsinki process. But in that
\ncase it was in the government's interest to make serious efforts
\nto convince the public to support the administration's decision.
\nThis does not seem to be the case with the Helsinki process.<\/p>\n
The government's meetings with GAM have just completed their
\nthird phase, and many points have been agreed on. Yet the public
\nremains almost wholly unaware of the progress or concessions
\nachieved. The opponents of the talks in Helsinki have
\ndeliberately distorted the process and its objectives but the
\ngovernment is making little effort to challenge them.<\/p>\n
The writer is Acehnese human rights advocate working for TAPOL
\nin London. He can be reached at agus_smur@hotmail.com.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/irresponsible-statements-from-politicians-in-jakarta-is-the-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}