Alwi pours cold water on Aceh plan
Alwi pours cold water on Aceh plan
JAKARTA (JP): Foreign minister Alwi Shihab has poured cold
water on rising expectations of the signing of an accord between
Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) next week, saying it
was neither a peace agreement nor a cease-fire.
Seemingly playing down the latest development, Alwi said on
Friday the memorandum of understanding to be signed in Geneva
next week was not a political settlement to the Aceh problem, but
was designed to reduce violence in the restive province.
"What we are going to sign is a joint understanding for a
humanitarian pause. To create peaceful conditions to support the
daily activities of the Acehnese," he told journalists.
"Don't take the issue as a political issue, this is not an
agreement. This is a note of understanding and there is no cease-
fire," he stressed.
Alwi also underlined that the government's involvement with
the memorandum was not a formal recognition of GAM as a state
entity.
"We acknowledge GAM as one force present in Aceh that has been
disturbing stability in the province and stopping the Acehnese
from living normally," he said, adding that the government was
always willing to cooperate with all parties to achieve peace in
Aceh.
The note's implementation will involve both parties forming
two committees in the province to execute the accords. A joint
forum will also be set up in Geneva to take follow-up action.
One committees will focus on the transfer of humanitarian aid
in the province. The second one will focus on reducing the level
of violence.
"There also will be a monitoring team, consisting of the
Indonesian government and Hassan Tiro's group," Alwi added,
referring to the self-exiled GAM leader.
Alwi is scheduled to personally witness the signing of the
note, which will be inked by Indonesia's permanent representative
to the United Nations' office in Geneva, Hasan Wirayuda and GAM's
health minister Zaini Abdullah.
The foreign ministry's director of international organizations
Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat said the note of understanding was
valid for three-months and open for further review.
"After the signing, we will have three weeks of preparation
and three months after that we will review the note, and decide
whether to extend it or to postpone it," Sudjadnan, who is the
officer in charge of the note of understanding, said.
However, Sudjadnan declined to give details of the committee's
tasks and responsibilities.
"The written note of understanding will be distributed to the
public soon after the signing," he said, adding that the signing
would be the fourth round of meetings between GAM and the
government in Geneva.
Hassan Tiro, who has lived in Sweden since 1979, is said to
have kept a watchful eye on all three meetings.
"He did not attend the dialogs himself but he was always
present in the building next to the meeting's venue," Sudjadnan
said.
Separately, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto expressed
hope the note of understanding would help reduce casualties and
end suffering in the province.
Peace
Meanwhile President Abdurrahman Wahid, who was in Bali on
Friday, stressed that the territorial integrity of Indonesia was
of primary importance in any solution to Aceh.
He also said any solution should be sought peacefully.
"Why peacefully? Because in the past some of our people have
tortured Acehnese ... That's why we have to correct and
investigate past mistakes," the President said.
He frankly admitted that the violence that had occurred in the
province should not be solely blamed on GAM, saying some former
Indonesian military members were also involved.
"They were trained by the state and given weapons, but their
actions have been despicable. They have to be hunted and
punished," Abdurrahman asserted.
Meanwhile international law lecturer at Atmajaya Catholic
University in Yogyakarta, Endro Susilo, told The Jakarta Post
that the signing would have no impact on international
recognition of GAM.
"Even though our permanent representative signs the note, this
will not lead to international recognition of GAM as a state
entity," Endro said.
He argued that with the signing of the note, Indonesia merely
concedes the existence of GAM as limited to the aspects mentioned
in the agreement.
"We can see this as an internal settlement by Indonesia," he
added.
"We cannot call the agreement a cease-fire because there are
no warring parties there," he said adding that GAM was still very
far away from having the prerequisites that it required to enjoy
international recognition as the representatives of a separate
country to Indonesia.(dja)