Legislators renew calls for dialog to solve Aceh problems<\/p>\n
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Legislators at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
\nrenewed their calls on Wednesday for the government to give
\npriority to dialog in solving the Aceh problem.<\/p>\n
\"The President should continue dialog with GAM and other
\ncomponents of society in Aceh to peacefully settle the conflict,\"
\ncommission spokesman Alexander Litaay said in a plenary session.<\/p>\n
The commission placed conflict settlement in Aceh at the top
\nof its list of recommendations to President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri. Litaay of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle also said it was advisable for the government to move
\nnegotiations with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels
\nfrom Switzerland to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The recommendation on Aceh was given in response to Megawati's
\nprogress report delivered in the MPR's plenary session last
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
Megawati promised tougher action against GAM as part of the
\ngovernment efforts to end the prolonged conflict.<\/p>\n
The commission's recommendation on Aceh corresponded with the
\nlatest developments on the Aceh issue. Also on Wednesday,
\nMuhammadiyah chairman A. Syafi'i Maarif revealed that the
\nAcehnese community in Jakarta had asked several Muslim figures to
\nmediate the dialog on Aceh.<\/p>\n
The Muslim leaders are Syafi'i, former deputy chief of
\nNahdlatul Ulama Ali Yafie, Muslim scholar Nurcholis Madjid,
\nformer foreign minister Ali Alatas and former home affairs
\nminister Surjadi Soedirdja.<\/p>\n
Recent dialogs between the government and GAM were mediated by
\nthe Swiss-based Henry Dunant Centre. The center's three \"wise
\nmen\", including Anthony Zinni, a retired U.S. general, are
\ncurrently in Aceh to encourage both sides to continue the peace
\ntalks.<\/p>\n
The commission also recommended the government protect the
\nAcehnese from any kind of disturbance through the use of
\nbalanced, professional and cultural approaches.<\/p>\n
\"(The government should) uphold the law and settle the human
\nrights violations by establishing a human rights investigation
\ncommittee and an ad hoc tribunal,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Thousands of people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the
\nprolonged armed conflict in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Apart from Aceh, the commission also recommended the
\ngovernment settle human right violations in Papua and establish
\nan ad hoc tribunal to end conflicts there.<\/p>\n
He said the government should learn from the experience of
\nPoso in Central Sulawesi and Maluku. Warring parties involved in
\nthe conflicts in the two provinces have agreed to end enmity and
\nhave strived to maintain the hard-won peace.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legislators-renew-calls-for-dialog-to-solve-aceh-problems-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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