50 military, police officers to sit on JSC

50 military, police officers to sit on JSC

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Banda Aceh

The government has appointed 50 military and police officers to
sit on the Joint Security Committee (JSC) which will be in charge
of formulating the implementation process of the peace agreement
signed with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on Dec. 9.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said here on Wednesday that the security
officers had been prepared for more than a month to be on the
commission.

"Among the military/police members, there are several names
that I can disclose to you now, such as Brig. Gen. George
Toisuta, the incumbent Chief of Staff of the Army's Strategic
Reserves Command (Kostrad) Division I (based in Malang, Central
Java) and Brig. Gen. Nurdin of the Navy," Susilo told a press
conference organized upon his arrival from Geneva, Switzerland,
where he witnessed the signing of the peace accord between the
government and GAM.

The agreement calls for the establishment of a Joint Security
Committee, which will be in charge of, among other things,
formulating implementation policy of the peace accord, monitoring
security conditions in Aceh, and undertaking full investigations
of any security violations.

Susilo also said that some local security authorities,
including the military commander and provincial police chief,
would join with the 150-strong Commission.

"The JSC comprises 50 representatives from Indonesia, GAM, and
the Henry Dunant Centre (HDC) respectively," said Susilo, adding
that Thailand and the Philippines had agreed to sit on the
committee also.

GAM, on the other hand, said Wednesday that it preferred to
appoint civilians to the committee.

GAM negotiator Tengku Kamaruzzaman said that GAM commander
Tengku Muzakir Manaf would not be appointed as one of the JSC
members representing the Acehnese, saying that "it is not about a
high rank in the military that allows someone to be on the JSC.
Civilians who live in Switzerland are more favorable, instead of
military members who are supposed to follow the civilian leader's
decisions."

Kamaruzzaman, who was also present at the peace meeting in
Geneva, further said that GAM would immediately appoint its
personnel for the JSC after "we conclude more specific rules
about the Committee."

"One thing is for sure is that GAM personnel who join the
Committee are senior leaders believed to be able to control the
troops on the ground.

"If I'm not mistaken, a two-star military general from
Thailand will chair the Committee," Kamaruzzaman told The Jakarta
Post.

Under the agreement, the committee would also take appropriate
action to restore security and agree beforehand on the sanctions
to be applied should any party violate the agreement.

The committee also has to make weekly reports on the security
situation in Aceh and to ensure that no new paramilitary force is
created to assume the previous functions of the notorious Police
Mobile Brigade (Brimob).

The most prominent role carried out by the Committee would be
designing and implementing a mutually agreed process of
demilitarization.

"Should any party -- whether Indonesia or GAM -- violate that
agreement and feel unsatisfied with the sanction or decision
taken by JSC, they are allowed to appeal to the Joint Council as
the supreme institution. I, myself, will be in charge there, as
well as the most senior personnel from the GAM and HDC," Susilo
said.

Meanwhile, the Philippines said on Wednesday it would send 25
military officers to Aceh next week to monitor the recently
signed peace accord between the government and GAM.

Philippine Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said Wednesday that
the group would monitor the situation in the troubled province,
investigate security violations and report on their findings.

Philippine officials said they were responding to President
Megawati Soekarnoputri's recent request for observers in Aceh.