Aceh rebels, govt narrow differences
Aceh rebels, govt narrow differences
Tiarma Siboro and Rendi Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The fourth round of talks between the Indonesian government and
Aceh rebels wound up on Tuesday, but failed to agree on the
establishment of local political parties and the administering of
local elections immediately after any peace deal is signed.
A senior political official with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM),
Mohammad Nur Djuli, expected Jakarta to consider the two thorny
issues raised by the rebel group.
"During the meeting, Indonesian delegates rejected our
proposal on establishment of local political parties, which we
think is valid because it is regulated in a Qanun (bylaw)," Nur
Djuli told The Jakarta Post from Helsinki.
The Aceh provincial administration is authorized to pass Qanun
following the endorsement of the special autonomy law for the
natural resource-rich province.
"We also want the Indonesian government to allow the Acehnese
to administer a fair election to select people who will sit in
the local legislative and executive bodies once the peace
agreement is signed -- hopefully in August," he added.
Indonesian negotiators could not accept this proposal, given
that the term of office of current legislative members in Aceh
will end in 2009.
The government has set an October deadline for first ever
direct regional elections for governor and regents in Aceh,
despite the fact that the Dec. 26 tsunami devastated nearly one
third of the province.
The six-day talks in Helsinki also discussed the issues of
self-government, amnesty and reintegration to society, human
rights and justice, the economy, and security arrangements.
Both parties also agreed to the involvement of the EU Council
Secretariat and European Commission in monitoring any
arrangements.
"As a consequence of the negotiations, CMI has been asked to
prepare basic documents that could form the basis for the
eventual agreement. These documents will be under discussion at
the next round of talks starting on July 12," said President
Martti Ahtisaari who heads the Crisis Management Initiative (CMI)
which mediated the talks.
The documents would form a basis of discussion for those
talks, which officials hope could reach a deal to end one of
Asia's longest-running conflicts, which has left more than 12,000
people dead over three decades.
Ahtisaari said he was optimistic that a deal could be reached
between the Indonesian government and GAM.
"If I didn't believe there was a chance to find a negotiated
settlement I would blow the whistle immediately," he said.
"I think we have reached a stage where we can talk through the
most difficult issues, which is the only way we can reach a
deal."
In Jakarta, Vice President Jusuf Kalla praised the results of
the meeting, which he said managed to agree on 90 percent of the
crucial issues.
"We are on the right track during the meeting. (The talks)
have been very positive and progressive. All crucial points on
the amnesty as well as on the political and economic system have
been agreed to by both parties," Kalla told the press conference.
Regarding a demand by GAM leaders for Aceh to have its own
passport and flag, Kalla said that these issues were no longer on
the negotiating table.
"We have not yet agreed on the establishment of (local)
political parties, or of elections," Kalla said.
Indonesian chief negotiator, the Minister of Justice and Human
Rights Hamid Awaluddin, is likely to extend his stay in Helsinki
for two days to draft the agreement that will be studied by
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Kalla added that Indonesia expected a greater role for the
Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in supervising
the implementation of the peace agreement in the field, while
"the European Union would only be an observer to the peace talks
and process."