Acehnese plead for peace

Acehnese plead for peace

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

More Acehnese people expressed hope on Wednesday that the
government would continue the peace process in the conflict-torn
province, saying the use of military force would cause further
casualties among civilians.

No less than 55 Acehnese people, including religious leaders
and rights activists, continued their campaign in Jakarta to push
the government to keep the peace process on track. They claimed
to have raised the same demand with Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
members.

The Aceh people reminded President Megawati Soekarnoputri of
her pre-election commitment to avoid the use of violence in the
province in addressing the 26-year conflict, saying it would only
create fresh bloodshed and not peace.

The group originally came here to meet the President, but the
head of state was "very busy with state duties". Instead they
conveyed their demand to a number of foreign ambassadors here as
well as to People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais.

Among the envoys were Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce of the U.S.
and Ambassador Yutaka Iimura of Japan. Also present were
representatives from European Union and the World Bank. All the
countries and organizations cochair the Tokyo Preparatory Meeting
for Aceh Reconstruction and Rehabilitation.

Umam Hamid, a lecturer of the Banda Aceh-based Syiah Kuala
University and the spokesman for the group, said that they wished
the President would reconsider her decision to launch a military
operation in the province and urged both warring parties to
return to the negotiating table.

They feared that war in Aceh would create a "lost generation"
among Acehnese children.

"Ibu Megawati had once promised that she would not allow any
bloodshed in Aceh once she was elected President. We believe that
she still carries that in her heart, and we are here to support
her in the spirit of brotherhood," Umam said, referring to
Megawati's political speech before her supporters on July, 28,
1999, weeks after her Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle
(PDI Perjuangan) won the largest vote in the 1999 general
election.

Earlier in the day, the Acehnese leaders met Assembly Speaker
Amien Rais to convey their message of peace.

Amien said that Aceh's problems must be resolved through
peaceful dialog.

According to the representatives of the Acehnese people, the
situation in the province has worsened. Hope for a peaceful
resolution to the conflict in Aceh through the Cessation of
Hostilities Agreement (COHA) is fading in the face of imminent
warfare.

National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar meanwhile said on
Wednesday that humanitarian aid, law enforcement, and empowerment
of the local administration would also be carried out with the
aim of restoring security in the troubled province.

He said that the three programs would be carried out
integrally and simultaneously.

"If those three operations fail to restore security in Aceh,
then an operation to restore security will be taken," Da'i said
at a hearing with House of Representatives Commission I for
defense and foreign affairs here.

Legislators had shown support for a contingency plan for Aceh
should peace talks fail.

Separately, U.S. Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce expressed regret
over the government's plan to launch a military operation in
Aceh, but he underlined that the problem was a domestic one.

"We are very disturbed that the peace process may be breaking
down. Military action is a last resort, and every possible venue
must be exhausted before deciding on a military option," Boyce
told a press conference on Wednesday.

"I do not think that anybody welcomes the possible renewed
military activity in the province," he remarked.

He further underlined that Washington continued to lend
support for the peace process in Aceh and was ready to facilitate
any possible peace solution in the province, should they be asked
to do so by Jakarta.

"The U.S. recognizes and respects that Aceh is a domestic
issue of Indonesia, one in which I do not think Indonesia
welcomes too much international involvement," Boyce said.

Regarding the continuation of the trust fund to rebuild Aceh,
as was pledged in the Tokyo meeting last year, Boyce said that
the commitment stands and would continue as soon as peace returns
to the province.

"The commitment stands even with the problems along the way,
we are ready to come back at an appropriate time," the ambassador
said.