Foreign participation in Aceh talks discussed

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The inclusion of foreigners in the planned monitoring commission to ensure peace in the war-torn province of Aceh will be discussed in the coming peace talks between the government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Monday that the concept to set up the monitoring commission had basically been agreed upon, but the details needed to be worked out.

"As a concept, the establishment of a monitoring agency is accepted by both sides," Hassan said, after a meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri at the Merdeka Palace.

When asked whether the government agreed to include foreigners as members of the commission, Hassan said: "That has to be discussed further."

The Government and GAM are slated to engage in another round of peace talks this month in Geneva, Switzerland, which again will be hosted by the Henry Dunant Center (HDC).

The dialog is aimed at agreeing on the cessation of hostilities and to maintain peace in the province as the next step to end the war.

GAM has waged an independence struggle since 1976. The armed conflict in Aceh has claimed more than 10,000 innocent lives, especially during the 10-year military operation that ended in 1998.

The first round of dialogs was initiated by former president Abdurrahman Wahid in 1999, which resulted in a humanitarian pause in 2000. The cease-fire was not effective as the military accused GAM of using the period to consolidate their troops across the province, while GAM blamed the military's continuing operations against the Acehnese for the failure.

Wahid proposed the establishment of an independent monitoring commission to work toward peace, but was ousted in July 2001.

"To monitor the scheme, we need to establish a commission consisting of a third party," Hassan once remarked.

The minister said on Monday that there had not yet been a date set for the coming peace talks, but he underlined that it could take place in October.

"As far as I know it won't be later than (the end of) October because early in November we will enter the Muslim fasting month," Hassan said.

During the Ramadhan fasting month, Muslims are required to exercise self restraint, including refraining from violence.