Lawmakers question arrival of EU observers in Aceh<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Despite growing calls from legislators not to internationalize
\nthe conflict in Aceh, the government has said it will go ahead
\nwith talks with Aceh rebels in Finland.<\/p>\n
The recent arrival of international observers in Aceh only
\nadds insult to injury.<\/p>\n
Lawmakers have demanded that the government stop the talks
\nwith the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) after the last round of
\nnegotiations failed to resolve crucial issues in the decades-long
\nfighting in the resource-rich province.<\/p>\n
Legislators also oppose the inclusion of foreign parties in
\nthe talks in Helsinki, which they say is an attempt to
\ninternationalize the problems in Aceh.<\/p>\n
The state-sponsored think tank the National Resilience
\nInstitute also said the "internationalization" of the Aceh talks
\nwould give GAM the opportunity to strengthen its position in the
\neyes of the international community.<\/p>\n
During the fourth round of talks that ended in May, the
\ngovernment and GAM agreed to allow representatives from the
\nEuropean Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations (ASEAN) to observe the implementation of any peace
\nagreement that might be achieved in the latest round of talks.<\/p>\n
"But even when the Indonesian delegates were still in Helsinki
\nand the President was abroad, there were already invitations to
\nthe European Union and ASEAN to visit Aceh," a member of House of
\nRepresentatives Commission I on defense and foreign affairs,
\nDjoko Susilo, said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He said the invitations were signed on June 5 by the secretary
\nto the Vice President, Asril Noer, at the order of Vice President
\nJusuf Kalla, when President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was on a 12-
\nday visit to the United States, Vietnam and Japan. The President
\nreturned to Indonesia on June 6.<\/p>\n
Djoko said 20 international observers arrived in Aceh on June
\n26.<\/p>\n
"This is really a careless act. The fact that most legislators
\ndid not even know about this -- I found out about it from a
\nsource -- means the government once again bypassed the House in
\nmaking a vital move," said Djoko.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
\nconfirmed on Tuesday the arrival of foreign observers in Aceh,
\nadding they were in the province only to make preliminary
\nobservations.<\/p>\n
"We are not taking any stance on this because it is
\ngovernment policy. But we ask (the foreigners) to request escorts
\nby TNI or police personnel while doing their jobs because we do
\nnot want any harm to come to them," he said.<\/p>\n
Vice President Kalla declined to answer questions on Tuesday
\nabout whether EU observers were in Aceh and if he invited them.<\/p>\n
Speaking after a lunch with ambassadors from EU nations, Kalla
\nsaid a monitoring system would be put into place if the
\ngovernment and GAM reached a peace deal, and that the possible
\nshape of that system was now being discussed.<\/p>\n
He said the Aceh issue was not discussed during the lunch with
\nthe EU ambassadors.<\/p>\n
Netherlands Ambassador to Indonesia Ruud Treffers, who also
\nholds the EU presidency here, said Aceh was not discussed during
\nthe lunch, but stressed that the EU was ready to be involved in
\nresolving the separatist conflict.<\/p>\n
Kalla said any decision on a cease-fire and the withdrawal of
\nmilitary personnel from the province would be made only after a
\npeace deal was signed.<\/p>\n
"If there is no longer a conflict, why would we deploy
\nsoldiers there? They could just go home, rest or train. But until
\nan agreement is reached, they will not be withdrawn," he said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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