Violence increases in Aceh as peace process in danger<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Armed encounters between government troops and rebels are
\nincreasing in troubled Aceh as calls mount in Jakarta for the
\nreplacement of the Henry Dunant Centre (HDC), a Swiss-based non-
\ngovernmental organization brokering a peace pact signed last
\nDecember.<\/p>\n
Security authorities said on Wednesday that seven suspected
\nrebels were killed on Tuesday, just one day after the government
\ngave the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) a two-week deadline to accept
\nthe special autonomy status for Aceh and disarm.<\/p>\n
Six GAM members were gunned down during a clash Tuesday in
\ncentral Aceh, said local police chief Lt. Col. Bambang Prayitno,
\nAP reported.<\/p>\n
Another guerrilla was shot dead after rebels attacked a Marine
\npost in southern Aceh, said Navy Maj. Eddi Fernandi.<\/p>\n
Also Tuesday, a military patrol arrested three rebels trying
\nto smuggle guns into the province, Eddi said.<\/p>\n
The patrol ambushed the separatists' boat in the Malacca
\nStrait off the northern coast of Aceh, and confiscated several
\nautomatic rifles.<\/p>\n
The bloody encounters came just days after the government
\npulled out of long-awaited peace talks designed to salvage a
\nfragile peace agreement signed on Dec. 9, 2002.<\/p>\n
The HDC, which facilitated the pact, said on Tuesday that it
\nwas close to setting a new date and venue for a Joint Council
\nmeeting between the government and GAM rebels.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Jakarta, Vice President Hamzah Haz said
\nIndonesian ulemas should take over the facilitation work from HDC
\nin order to stop bloodshed in the country's westernmost province
\nand ensure that the region remained part of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"The Vice President supports our idea to put ulemas at the
\nforefront of the peace process between the government and GAM
\nbecause they (ulemas) are respected," Mudzakir, coordinator of
\nIslam-based organization National Muzakkarah, said after meeting
\nHamzah on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
"The Vice President, nevertheless, suggests that we meet
\nMinister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to discuss our idea," Mudzakir
\nwas quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
Separately, former president Abdurrahman Wahid, or Gus Dur as
\nhe is familiarly known, suggested that the Organization of the
\nIslamic Conference (OIC) could act as the mediator in talks with
\nGAM.<\/p>\n
Speaking to journalists in Yogyakarta on Wednesday, Gus Dur --
\nwho hand-picked the HDC as the peace facilitator in 2000 --
\nstressed that the OIC idea was merely a suggestion.<\/p>\n
"If (the government) no longer wants the HDC, (the government)
\ncan ask the OIC to act as a mediator in future peace talks," Gus
\nDur said.<\/p>\n
The HDC came under fire after the government decided to pull
\nout of a long-awaited Joint Council meeting last Thursday after
\nthe secessionist movement insisted on holding the meeting on
\nApril 27, instead of April 25 as it proposed earlier.<\/p>\n
Sociologist Otto Syamsuddin Ishak, however, said the
\ngovernment could not easily "release" the HDC as facilitator
\nbecause "the Acehnese mostly do not look up to their ulemas who
\npreviously supported the central government's ten-year military
\noperation under the New Order regime."<\/p>\n
Otto criticized the government for being half-hearted in
\npromoting peace in Aceh, saying that it should realize that "it
\ntakes time to create peace."<\/p>\n
"The government's threat to launch a military approach has
\nonly worsened the situation in the field as many activists and
\ncivilians have been kidnapped in response to Jakarta's warning,"
\nOtto told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
"The peace agreement (signed in December) does not deal with
\nissues like whether the province remains part of the country or
\nbecomes independent as the topic would be discussed in the all-
\ninclusive dialog," Otto said.<\/p>\n
Under the peace agreement, an all-inclusive dialog is to be
\norganized after GAM rebels lay down their weapons and government
\ntroops withdraw to defensive positions. Both parties, however,
\nhave yet to make good on their promises.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/violence-increases-in-aceh-as-peace-process-in-danger-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}