Warring sides in Aceh take steps to build trust and peace<\/p>\n
Nani Farida and Ibnu Mat Noor, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
Discussions to coordinate the implementation of the cessation of
\nhostilities agreement have begun between the Indonesian Military
\n(TNI) and Free Aceh Movement (GAM), in order to build trust and
\nattempt to impose peace in the war-torn province.<\/p>\n
Hours after the signing in Geneva, both the field leaders of
\nthe TNI and GAM immediately ordered their troops to avoid any
\npossible hostile action with each other and to withdraw from
\nconflict areas.<\/p>\n
TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto joined some 5,000 people of
\nAceh in Lhokseumawe on Tuesday in a thanksgiving prayer for the
\nsigning.<\/p>\n
\"GAM is no longer our enemy, they are our brothers. This
\nsigning is truly a blessing for the Acehnese people that have
\nsuffered for decades,\" Endriartono said after the prayer.<\/p>\n
The speech was soon followed by direct orders for all TNI
\ntroops to maintain their defensive positions and end all
\noffensive operations against GAM.<\/p>\n
Separately, GAM spokesman Sofyan Dawood told The Jakarta Post
\nthat his troops were ready to stand down and return to their
\nbarracks, stacking their weapons at designated sites as demanded
\nby the agreement.<\/p>\n
\"We are ready to abide by the agreement and recall our troops
\nback to their barracks. We will stack our weapons as soon as we
\nare able to confirm the agreement with the TNI,\" Sofyan said on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
He vowed that GAM would not violate the agreement as long as
\nthe TNI proved that it would also abide by the peace deal and
\ncease military operations against GAM in the province.<\/p>\n
Aceh military spokesman Lt.Col.Firdaus Komarno said that most
\nTNI troops around the province had been notified of the peace
\nagreement.<\/p>\n
\"However, it may take longer in isolated areas to notify the
\ntroops, but we sent out the good news even hours before the deal
\nwas signed,\" Firdaus said.<\/p>\n
The withdrawal of soldiers started on Tuesday, when 1,000
\ntroops under Maj. Indra Nasution were withdrawn from GAM
\nheadquarters in Cot Trieng, North Aceh, which has been under
\nmilitary siege since Oct. 30.<\/p>\n
GAM and Jakarta signed a peace agreement on Monday in Geneva,
\nobligating the two sides to maintain defensive positions during a
\ngrace period for the next two months under the supervision of an
\ninternational monitoring team.<\/p>\n
The team, led by Thai officials and facilitated by the Henry
\nDunant Center (HDC), arrived in Banda Aceh on Tuesday morning to
\nstart its duties immediately.<\/p>\n
The Associated Press reported that team leader Maj. Gen.
\nTanongsuk Tuvinun would be arriving in Banda Aceh on Dec. 17 to
\nbegin his duties.<\/p>\n
After two months, GAM will stack their weapons at designated
\nsites, while the TNI will withdraw their non-organic troops from
\nthe province.<\/p>\n
Both efforts would be conducted gradually over a five-month
\nperiod, after the grace period ends.<\/p>\n
The agreement also requires both parties not to increase their
\nmilitary forces, and should rogue elements try to take advantage
\nof the period, the TNI and GAM would conduct joint operations
\nagainst them.<\/p>\n
The police will also be able to investigate criminal
\nactivities in conjunction with the monitoring team.<\/p>\n
Currently, there are approximately 24,000 TNI and police
\npersonnel in the province, including a new deployment of 3,000
\nsoldiers last week. Only 10,000 of that number are organic
\ntroops.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/warring-sides-in-aceh-take-steps-to-build-trust-and-peace-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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