Donors press govt, GAM to honor deal

Tiarma Siboro and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Banda Aceh

Donor countries have pressed the government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to stick to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, saying that military force could not bring peace to Aceh.

Japan, the United States and the European Union -- co-chairs of the Tokyo Preparatory Conference on Peace and Reconstruction in Aceh -- also deplored the recent violence and threats against members of the Joint Security Committee (JSC), which is overseeing the implementation of the peace deal signed last December.

"We strongly urge both sides to refrain from recourse to armed or any violence, which is not an effective means to bring a solution to this conflict," the donors said in a joint press statement on Wednesday.

The donors' statement came just two days after President Megawati Soekarnoputri instructed the Indonesian Military (TNI) and police to prepare for any military operations to stamp out the secessionist movement in resource-rich Aceh, where GAM has been fighting for independence since 1976. Over 12,000 people, mostly civilians, have died in the 26-year conflict.

The government and GAM signed on Dec. 9, 2002 a peace deal brokered by the Switzerland-based Henry Dunant Centre (HDC).

Under the agreement, GAM agreed to accept the Special Autonomy Status for Aceh as the sole basis for future dialog. GAM also agreed to stop campaigning for independence and to lay down their arms gradually.

The government, on the other hand, had agreed to halt all military operations against GAM and to reposition its military and police forces to a defensive stance.

Four months into the peace agreement, however, the government accused GAM of not complying with the agreement, pointing particularly to the movement's continued campaign for independence and its refusal to store weapons as stipulated in the agreement.

The government announced on Monday that it had filed a formal request for a Joint Council meeting, a move that could lead to its withdrawal from the agreement.

The security condition in the province has also deteriorated, while physical threats against the international peace monitors has increased. Last Sunday, a mob of around 1,500 people attacked and ransacked the JSC office in Langsa, East Aceh, for what they called JSC's failure to stop the extortion by GAM members.

In March, a mob also attacked the Takengon JSC office in South Aceh, and this Tuesday, a group of local people asked JSC members in Tapaktuan in West Aceh to leave.

The increasing threats against JSC members have prompted the HDC to withdraw all JSC members to it headquarters in Banda Aceh.

"Japan, the EU, the U.S. and the World Bank urge the government of Indonesia to take immediate steps to ensure the physical security of monitors in the field," the donors said in a statement.

The Philippines, from where some of JSC members come, on Wednesday condemned the attacks and urged the Indonesian government to take necessary measures to prevent an escalation of violence.

Representatives of the donor countries met with Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday, and were briefed on the latest developments in Aceh.

The representatives reportedly asked for a clarification on Megawati's instruction to security forces to ready for military operations in case the government decided to withdraw from the peace accord.

"We do not have any knowledge about it (the instruction). We just learned from the newspapers, that is why we have asked for further investigation from both parties and ask (the rebels) to immediately put down their weapons," Japanese Ambassador Yutaka Iimura said after the meeting.

TNI Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, however, said that the government should not wait until the end of the demilitarization period to crack down on GAM.

"We can see that GAM will not comply with the agreement and put down their weapons by July 9, so why should we wait (until the deadline to launch military operation)," Endriartono was quoted by Antara as saying on Wednesday.

TNI chief for general affairs Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago, meanwhile, said that TNI was preparing a huge number of reinforcement troops for Aceh.

There are currently over 21,000 military troops posted in the troubled province of Aceh, supported by thousands of police officers.

GAM, on the other hand, has about 5,000 members.