Details to be ironed out for Aceh peace agreement

Details to be ironed out for Aceh peace agreement

Haris Azhar, Jakarta

The peace deal between the Indonesian government and the Free
Aceh Movement (GAM) deserves a positive response because its main
agenda is to restore the lost peace in Aceh, a region that has
undergone many phases of violence before it was hit by the killer
tsunami. It is only proper, then, that much hope is pinned on the
formulation and the substance of the Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) draft, agreed in Helsinki on July 15.

Although the content of the MoU will not be revealed to the
public until Indonesia and GAM formally sign the agreement on
Aug. 15, it is clear that it contains matters of principles and
not a detailed plan. This means two prerequisites for a lasting
peace become necessary.

The action on the ground -- the planned withdrawal of troops
and the disarmament of GAM -- must be worked out in the next
round of talks after the signing of the Aug. 15 agreement. These
details must be formulated by a special team, which will include
monitoring groups from the European Union and ASEAN.

And even before this, there must be action taken to ensure the
security situation is safe enough for GAM and the government to
begin drawing up and implementing the agreement.

Unfortunately, the situation in Aceh is still far from
peaceful and political and military elements there and in Jakarta
could easily stir up a deal-breaking conflict.

Since the lifting of Aceh's civil emergency status on May 19
and during the peace negotiations, Acehnese civilians have been
the victims of violent acts and involved in armed clashes with
the Indonesian Military (TNI), National Police and GAM. "GAM" is
still too often used as a label to stigmatize innocent Acehnese
civilians.

In Jakarta, meanwhile, many legislators do not agree to the
government negotiating with GAM.

However, there is growing public support for the government
and GAM committing to bring about lasting peace in Aceh, which is
increasing as the signing of the MoU draws nearer.

Rebuilding the public trust lost when the two parties violated
a previous accord is certainly important. During president
Megawati's administration, the CoHA or the Cessation of
Hostilities agreement collapsed not long after it was signed in
2002. This time it is even more necessary to win the hearts and
minds of the Acehnese in a non-violent manner in order to bring
about lasting peace.

Prior to the signing of peace agreement, each party should
cease all violence and must guarantee to protect civilians while
reducing other non-violent military activities.

The government also needs to convince those against the
planned agreement that it is the best way to end the prolonged
suffering of the Acehnese people. The government must seek an
agreement from legislators, those in the military and the
National Police.

The evolving situation during the four weeks before the
signing of the MoU will be useful in predicting whether the
agreement will really bring about peace in Aceh.

It will also be a good time to practice implementing the new
peace plan for the area. A learning period would make the
Acehnese more relaxed after the Aug. 15 deal. Members of the TNI,
National Police and GAM must all make use of this time.

When these groups and the Acehnese community are confident
about the plan, these parties will better understand their roles
as agents of peace and justice for Aceh.

It is the obligation of all parties that could create violence
in Aceh, to ensure that these four weeks prior to the signing of
the MoU are peaceful. This obligation is effectively an extension
of the job began by the peace negotiators during the past six
months. Peace in Aceh is not a dream; it is a must.

The writer is the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims
of Violence head of studies and documentation. He can be reached
at haris_azhar@yahoo.com.