Aceh civil figures back talks to end rebellion

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Acehnese civilian figures ended a two-day meeting with rebel leaders in Sweden on Tuesday, giving their support to both them and the Indonesian government to continue their peace talks to end the fighting in tsunami-ravaged Aceh.

The solution-finding process should refer to a decree issued in 2000 by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), which recommends that the Aceh problem be addressed peacefully, said a statement issued after the meeting.

It should also heed the wishes of the Acehnese people and the international community, the statement added without elaborating.

The unprecedented meeting between Aceh civil society representatives and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leaders took place in Var Gard, Sweden, ahead of the forth round of peace talks between the rebels and the Indonesian government in Helsinki, Finland, which will start on May 26.

The Aceh civil society leaders urged the two warring parties to ensure freedom of speech for all people in Aceh, and the government to release all political prisoners and detainees, including GAM members, "immediately and unconditionally".

The meeting also called on foreign donors and non-governmental organizations to "make a cease-fire a precondition to the financing" of Aceh's reconstruction after the Dec. 15 tsunami, in order to ensure the effectiveness of the reconstruction work.

The forum was facilitated by the Sweden-based Olof Palme International Center, which was established in 1992 by the Swedish Social Democratic Party, trade union confederation (LO) and cooperative union (KF).

It works on several issues, including the promotion of democracy and human rights, and develops projects in many developing countries and in Central and Eastern Europe.

Dozens of Acehnese-founded non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from Indonesia -- especially the province of Aceh -- Malaysia, Australia and Europe attended the meeting and discussed various problems in Aceh ranging from human rights and gender issues to the democratization process.

The participants included Ghazali Abbas Adhan, an Acehnese figure and former legislator from the United Development Party (PPP), and Acehnese women's activist Putri Keumala.

All GAM delegates to the Helsinki talks were present, with its self-styled prime minister Malik Machmood opening the meeting.

However, Acehnese sociologist from Syah Kuala University, Otto Syamsuddin Ishak, failed to attend the forum. "I had some unavoidable business when the meeting was taking place," he said.

Otto nevertheless praised the meeting and demanded that the Indonesian government halt the military offensive in Aceh as "it will only lead to a prolongation of the armed conflict there".

Criticism of the GAM leadership was also voiced during the meeting, with the Acehnese civilians questioning why the exiled separatist leaders were only now willing to share views with them.

Responding to this question, GAM senior political figure Mohammed Nur Djuli said his side actually was ready to talk to anyone "but feared whether the Acehnese who were invited would be able to return home safely".

"We appreciate their (Acehnese civilians) participation and hope that the Indonesian government can show good faith by continuing the peace process and ordering its armed forces to terminate hostilities and to respect the democratic rights of the Acehnese people," he told The Jakarta Post by phone from Sweden.

GAM has been fighting for independence in the resource- rich province since 1976. The tsunami prompted the rebels and the government to resume peace talks in Helsinki.

In the previous rounds of talks, various proposals were put forward including the withdrawal of 40,000 Indonesian troops from Aceh, and the participation of the international community in monitoring the peace process there.