WB to train 300 Acehnese for community development<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
To support the peace process in Aceh, the World Bank (WB) pledged
\non Friday to expand its community development program in the
\nstrife-torn province and provide training for the Acehnese.<\/p>\n
World Bank Deputy Director for Asia Pacific Jemal-ud-din
\nKassum said the program would start as soon as possible.<\/p>\n
\"We are expanding the community development program into Aceh
\nand 300 facilitators will be immediately trained for the
\nprogram,\" Kassum said after meeting President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"The CGI is also committed to fully funding the peace
\nmonitoring program,\" said Kassum, referring to the recently-
\nconcluded Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI) meeting in Bali.<\/p>\n
However, he did not elaborate on the amount of funds allocated
\nfor Aceh, which is part of the US$400 million grant pledged by
\nCGI donor countries at the meeting.<\/p>\n
Kassum met with President Megawati to report the results of
\nthe CGI meeting, which he chaired, in which donor countries
\nagreed to give loans totaling US$2.7 billion to support
\nIndonesia's economic recovery program.<\/p>\n
WB also co-chaired the Dec. 3 meeting in Tokyo, during which
\ndonor countries agreed to set up a trust fund to rebuild warn-
\ntorn Aceh.<\/p>\n
Kassum praised the commitment of the Indonesian government in
\nupholding the cessation of hostilities agreement signed with the
\nFree Aceh Movement (GAM) on Dec. 9 last year.<\/p>\n
To follow up the agreement and ensure peace in the province,
\npeace monitoring teams, consisting of 150 officials from the
\nIndonesian government, GAM fighters, and representatives of the
\nHenry Dunant Centre, a Switzerland-based non-governmental
\norganization that brokered the peace agreement.<\/p>\n
The Joint Security Committee (JSC) is in charge of overseeing
\nthe implementation of the peace pact.<\/p>\n
\"We will work very closely with the central government to
\ndetermine the assistance needed for Aceh to support the peace
\nprocess,\" Kassum said.<\/p>\n
In the Tokyo meeting, 23 donor countries and agencies pledged
\nto immediately support the rehabilitation and reconstruction of
\nAceh as soon as peace and order was restored.<\/p>\n
Kassum said the World Bank would implement the pledges quickly
\nas economic development was one of the main factors that could
\nhelp maintain peace in the province.<\/p>\n
GAM has been fighting for independence in the country's
\nwesternmost province since 1976. More than 10,000 people, mostly
\ninnocent civilians have been killed since then.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wb-to-train-300-acehnese-for-community-development-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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