Delayed talks may damage GAM: Ulema

Muhammad Nafik and Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A noted religious leader warned the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on Wednesday that the Acehnese people would consider the separatist group to not be committed to resolving the Aceh question through peaceful means if it refused to resume peace talks with the government after the Idul Fitri celebrations.

"Let's see what happens after Idul Fitri," said Imam Suja', spokesman for the six Acehnese religious and public figures invited by the Henri Dunant Center (HDC) to observe peace talks that were initially scheduled to take place before the fasting month of Ramadhan.

"The people here will think that GAM lacks the political will to resolve the problem peacefully if it is still reluctant to return to the negotiating table after Idul Fitri," Imam Suja' told The Jakarta Post.

Imam Suja', however, fell short of saying outright that the people would be less sympathetic to GAM if the rebel group refused to return to the negotiating table.

The separatist movement delayed peace talks that were scheduled for early November until after Idul Fitri. The government and GAM were supposed to reach a peace agreement during the planned talks that would put an end to the bloody, decades-long conflict in Aceh.

This year, the Idul Fitri post-fasting festivities fall on Dec. 6 and 7.

GAM spokesman Sofyan Dawood, however, denied suggestions that the secessionist movement had delayed signing a peace pact, arguing the rebels had never agreed to the date set by the government.

"Up to now, the HDC, the Indonesia government and GAM have yet to agree on the date for the talks. What happened was that the Indonesian government set the date unilaterally," he said.

He also accused the government of changing points in the draft peace accord several times.

Imam Suja' said over the weekend that some provisions in the draft, including a requirement for GAM fighters to turn in their weapons for them to be kept in stores jointly guarded by GAM and troops from a third party, had prevented GAM from signing the accord.

According to Imam Suja', his team told GAM to be realistic in their demands so that peace and order could be restored to the province, where over 10,000 people, mostly innocent civilians, have been killed since GAM began fighting for independence.

"GAM should be realistic and consider the interests of Acehnese people as a whole, who are longing for peace. Also, the government should be more patient in dealing with GAM," said Imama Suja', who is also the chairman of the Aceh chapter of Muhammadiyah.

A source close to the negotiations told the Post on Wednesday that he had advised the government to be patient in dealing with GAM.

"We are facing people who have felt oppressed for decades. So we need to be patient," he said.

Asked if the government was running out of patience, he said: "Almost, but we need to be more patient".

Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) analyst J. Kristiadi, meanwhile, said on Wednesday that aside from pursuing peace efforts with the rebels, the law must be enforced against those who have committed violence or illegally carry weapons.

All civilian groups or individuals, including separatists, were banned from carrying and possessing weapons in Indonesia, except those who had obtained permission from the security authorities.

He said that as in any other sovereign countries, armed separatist groups such as GAM were outlawed in Indonesia.

"The problem in Aceh is how the security authorities can ensure that crushing the rebels will not target or affect the civilians there. Otherwise, it would be an infringement of human rights," Kristiadi said.