RI to discuss Aceh mission mandate<\/p>\n
Ivy Susanti, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia will discuss the mandate and mechanisms of an Aceh
\nMonitoring Mission (AMM) with the European Union and the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during a two-day
\nmeeting here beginning on Monday.<\/p>\n
Foreign ministry spokesman Yuri Oktavian Thamrin said the
\nforeign mission would supervise the disarmament of separatist
\nrebels and the Indonesian Military (TNI)'s withdrawal from
\nNanggroe Aceh Darussalam.<\/p>\n
He also said the foreign mission should consist mainly of
\ncivilians, with some military members allowed as advisers.<\/p>\n
"The Aceh Monitoring Mission is not a peacekeeping force or a
\nmilitary deployment. As the minister has already stated, the
\nmission will help build trust and confidence that Indonesia is
\nhonoring the peace agreement that will be signed on Aug. 15," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The European Union has agreed to send 200 observers to Aceh.
\nIndonesia has also invited five ASEAN countries -- Malaysia, the
\nPhilippines, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei -- to join the
\nmonitoring mission.<\/p>\n
Yuri said all five countries had indicated their intention to
\nsend observers to Aceh.<\/p>\n
He said the Ministry of Communications and Information would
\nmanage the mission.<\/p>\n
"The foreign affairs ministry will contribute its expertise
\nand experience in monitoring missions and peacekeeping
\noperations. We will support the ministry (of communications and
\ninformation)," he said.<\/p>\n
The foreign monitors will remain in Aceh for six months, with
\nthe possibility of the mission being extended an additional six
\nmonths. They could start moving into place as early as Aug. 16,
\nthe day after the peace agreement is scheduled to be formalized
\nby the two sides.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed a draft
\npeace deal in a meeting in Helsinki on July 17.<\/p>\n
According to the draft agreement, Indonesia will reduce its
\nmilitary and police presence in Aceh, and the rebels will turn in
\ntheir weapons.<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said this initial
\nprocess would take three months, starting in September.<\/p>\n
GAM representatives said on Friday the group would begin
\nlaying down their weapons as soon as Indonesian troops started
\nwithdrawing from the province.<\/p>\n
Sofyan Dawood, a spokesman for GAM, also dismissed suggestions
\nby the Indonesian Military that there was disagreement within GAM
\nover the peace deal.<\/p>\n
As part of the deal, the rebels gave up their demand for
\nindependence in return for some form of political representation
\nin Aceh.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Indonesian Military chief Gen. Endriartono
\nSutarto said his troops would refrain from combat in Aceh and
\nwould begin withdrawing by mid-September. The government also
\nannounced an amnesty program, with 2,053 rebels convicted of
\nsubversion scheduled to be released from prison on Aug. 30.<\/p>\n
"We are ready to hand over our weapons as the Indonesian
\nMilitary begins reducing its troop numbers," Dawood was quoted by
\nAP as saying on Friday. "We will abide by the Helsinki peace
\naccord."<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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