JSC to start probing peace violations<\/p>\n
Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
The joint committee in charge of monitoring a cease-fire deal
\nbetween the government and separatists in Aceh said on Friday
\nthat it would start probing violations of the agreement, starting
\nwith an ambush last week that killed two soldiers.<\/p>\n
The Joint Security Committee (JSC) will begin its probe with
\nserious cases of violations to the peace agreement, said a member
\nof the committee from the Henry Dunant Centre.<\/p>\n
\"We admit that a lot of minor incidents have happened since
\nthe peace agreement was signed, and that is normal in a conflict.
\nSo priority will be given to the big cases,\" the centre's project
\nmanager, David Gorman, said in a news conference.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed the peace
\nagreement on Dec. 9 under the auspices of the Swiss-based centre.<\/p>\n
The JSC was set up to monitor its implementation with the help
\nof a monitoring team comprising representatives from Indonesia,
\nGAM and foreign observers appointed by the centre.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and GAM's negotiators have warned of such skirmishes
\nas both sides were seen blaming each other for provoking violence
\nor breaching the cease-fire agreement.<\/p>\n
An investigation into the reports of violations and
\nsanctioning those responsible is seen as necessary to discipline
\ngovernment and rebel troops to respect the cease-fire agreement.<\/p>\n
So far 14 have died in bloodshed based on reports over the
\npast three weeks.<\/p>\n
Gorman said the deaths of two members of the Army's Special
\nForces (Kopassus) were one of JSC's priorities.<\/p>\n
The two soldiers were killed last week in an ambush by an
\nunidentified armed group in Manggamat, South Aceh. The Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI) blamed GAM for the attack, however the rebel group
\nhas made no response to the charges.<\/p>\n
Another priority case is the killing last week of a police
\nofficer from the National Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) in
\nBireun, South Aceh, said Lt. Col. Embu Akapitus, who is a member
\nof the Indonesian team on the JSC.<\/p>\n
Embu said his team had received 124 reports of violations made
\nto the peace agreement.<\/p>\n
Gorman added the JSC would start sending out its monitoring
\nmembers on Saturday to oversee Aceh's security.<\/p>\n
\"Sending out the monitoring team is an important step in
\nending the hostilities,\" he explained. \"They will operate all
\nover Aceh.\"<\/p>\n
Representatives of the government, GAM and the centre each
\nmake up one-third of the 150-member monitoring team.<\/p>\n
The strife-torn province is reeling from more than two decades
\nof war since GAM began fighting for the independence of the
\nnatural resources-rich province in 1976.<\/p>\n
More than 10,000 have died in clashes or violence with most of
\nthe victims being civilians.<\/p>\n
In Manila, Philippines President Gloria Arroyo protested GAM's
\ndemand that the Filipino delegation be withdrawn over charges it
\nwas biased toward the rebels.<\/p>\n
She was responding to GAM negotiator Sofyan Ibrahim Tiba's
\naccusations that Filipinos on the monitoring team were biased
\nsince their government was waging a war against Muslim rebels.<\/p>\n
\"We are emphasizing that we were invited there on the basis of
\nour being neutral and that is a very accurate assumption,\" the
\npresident's spokesman, Rigoberto Tiglao, told AFP.<\/p>\n
Tiglao rejected GAM's demand that the Filipinos be replaced by
\na team from Norway or Brunei. He said Filipino monitors were \"not
\nreally withdrawing,\" but added that there was a plan \"to reduce
\nthe number of participants anyway\".<\/p>\n
A Filipino general and officers from Thailand are members of
\nthe monitoring team, representing the centre's appointed
\nobservers.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jsc-to-start-probing-peace-violations-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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