Foreign participation in Aceh talks discussed

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.