Acehenese put high hopes on Geneva accord

Acehenese put high hopes on Geneva accord

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Weary of the incessant conflicts that
have claimed countless lives, the Acehnese expressed high hopes
of a planned peace agreement to be signed in Geneva.

Ulemas, politicians, rights activist, students, government
officials, ordinary people and even members of the Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) separatist group all hailed the planned Joint
Understanding which potentially brings a flicker of hope for
peace to return to their lives.

"We always say prayers together in a group every night, in the
hope that the Geneva peace accord can be signed. We read the
Koran or other holy verses. We want no more violence. We don't
want to see more people killed. We want peace," said Tengku
Muhammad Amin, a ulema, who leads the Darul Kamaliah Keumala
Muslim boarding school in Pidie.

A student from the Islamic Teaching Institute in Banda Aceh,
Lailatussaadah, welcomed the planned joint understanding.

"After the peace pact, we hope a referendum will be held to
determine the province's future, as recommended by the Aceh
People's Mass Meeting on Nov. 8 last year," she said.

Chief of the Aceh office of the National Commission on Human
Rights (Komnas HAM) Iqbal Faraby welcomed the latest breakthrough
but warned that certain armed groups could try to undermine it by
creating chaos.

"These groups do not wish peace to return to Aceh. So far, the
government has been unable to control them. There is also no
guarantee that GAM rebels will sincerely put their guns down,"
Iqbal said.

Another rights activist, Ahmad Humam Hamid, said the peace
accord was only the beginning of a long process of determining
Aceh's fate.

"I urge the people to use the three-month period recommended
by the Geneva deal to restore social and economic activities," he
said.

"The local administration must prepare for the handling of
refugees and schooling, as well as agriculture and business
activities that have been halted since the conflict rocked this
province," said Ahmad, who is the coordinator of Human Rights
Care Forum in Aceh.

The head of the United Development Party's (PPP) branch in
Pidie, Tengku Yusri Ahmad, called on his political colleagues in
the province to put their full weight behind the accord.

"The goodwill shown by the Indonesian government and GAM
should be welcomed by all layers of society. I hope all members
of PPP will support the agreement," he said.

Senior GAM leaders in the Aceh woodlands also welcomed the
deal and pledged to honor it.

"The commander of GAM's armed wing, Tengku Abdullah Syafiie,
has instructed all GAM troops to return to their 'barracks' and
put their guns down," GAM spokesman Tengku Maad Muda said.

"This means that no more armed GAM troops will be roaming
about. Every party must be extra careful as groups of
provocateurs who want to disrupt tranquility in Aceh will still
be around," he said, adding that "GAM members have been told to
pray."

Suspicion

Meanwhile, Commander of Indonesia's Teuku Umar Military
Command in Aceh Col. Syarifuddin Tippe has urged people to have
faith in the agreement.

"The most important thing is that there will be no more
killings. If we continue to be suspicious of each other and all
parties involved are unable to restrain themselves, then don't
expect peace to return to Aceh," he said in a provincial
coordination meeting in Tapak Tuan, South Aceh.

Aceh Governor Syamsuddin Mahmud said that basically everyone
wanted the new accord to be signed as the fighting was doing no
one any good.

"We're all tired of fighting. I think the security forces and
also GAM are fed up with the conflict too. So let's hope for the
best," he said on Wednesday.

The governor and Aceh Provincial Council Speaker Muhammad Yus
departed to attend the signing ceremony of the Joint
Understanding in Switzerland on Wednesday evening.

Peace in Aceh also means a lot to Hasballah Jelas, a 50-year-
old food stall owner from Cot Paya village, Darussalam district
in Aceh Besar.

"I just want to sell my coffee until late at night with no
fear. Since the bloody conflict first took place I have had to
open my kiosk during the day," Hasballah said.

Hasballah said that he knew his namesake, State Minister of
Human Rights Affairs Hasballah M. Saad, well, as he once served
him at a food stall at Syiah Kuala University, where the minister
worked as a lecturer.

"I believe he (the minister) will do his best for the people
of Aceh," the vendor said. (50/51/prb/edt/sur)