UN, U.S. hope for peace in Aceh after tsunami<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The United Nations and the United States have expressed hopes
\nthat the disaster that has devastated Aceh could put an end to
\nthe prolonged armed conflict in the province.<\/p>\n
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said after meeting U.S.
\nSecretary of State Colin Powell at UN Headquarters in New York on
\nSaturday that the two warring sides could start working together
\nto help those in need following the tsunami that killed tens of
\nthousands of people in Aceh.<\/p>\n
"We hope that this (disaster) offers an opportunity both in
\nAceh and in Sri Lanka, and that the protagonists are now working
\ntogether to bring support to those in need. And I hope that
\ncollaboration is not going to end with the crisis and that they
\nwill be able to build on that and use these new dynamics to
\nresolve their own differences; and we will be encouraging that,"
\nAnnan told a post-meeting media conference.<\/p>\n
Powell agreed, saying: "Let's see this as an opportunity to
\nresolve these two long-running crises."<\/p>\n
Indonesia and Sri Lanka, both bearing the brunt of the tsunami
\nthat has taken at least 126,000 lives across Asia, have for years
\nseen armed conflict between government troops and separatist
\ngroups. Thousands have been killed in the fighting.<\/p>\n
Annan and Powell met to discuss coordination of world-wide
\nrelief for countries hit by last Sunday's tsunami.<\/p>\n
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had earlier
\ncalled on the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to lay down their arms and
\nhelp rebuild the ravaged province as part of the unitary state of
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
"On behalf of the government, I call on those who take up arms
\nto leave their groups. Let's take the tragedy as a historic
\nmoment to unite and rebuild Aceh together," Susilo said after a
\nCabinet meeting on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The government, however, has never officially lifted the state
\nof civil emergency in Aceh, which was extended for another six
\nmonths in November. Under the civil emergency status the military
\noperation to crush the rebels, who have been fighting for
\nindependence since 1976, has continued unabated.<\/p>\n
The death toll in the disaster has climbed to 80,000, but the
\nUN estimates the number will reach 100,000.<\/p>\n
In an interview with Reuters, GAM prime minister-in-exile
\nMalik Mahmud said the tsunami might eventually help peace
\nprospects in Aceh.<\/p>\n
"While we talk about the natural disaster in Aceh, human
\ntragedies, things like that, we should also talk about the
\npolitical aspects of Aceh and the problem that we have with the
\nIndonesian government ... this is an opportunity," he said on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
Mahmud, who lives in exile in Sweden, said although GAM was
\nstill waiting for a reply from Jakarta to its Dec. 27 offer of a
\nunilateral cease fire, he remained hopeful that peace had a
\nchance.<\/p>\n
"We will survive, and especially with the help of the
\ninternational community ... whatever aid or attention we get from
\nthe international community will help Aceh to survive," he said.<\/p>",
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