GAM issue must be settled

GAM issue must be settled

From Republika

In less than a month, Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) will again meet for talks in Helsinki, Finland. Indonesia has the same team comprising Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adi Sucipto, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin and State Minister of Communications and Information Sofyan Djalil.

As in the first talks on Jan. 27 and Jan. 29, the facilitator is the Crisis Management Initiative under former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari. It is not known whether GAM's team remains unchanged, made up of Malik Mahmood and Zaini Abdullah.

The second round may be necessary for one of two reasons: First, the previous meeting was promising and thus requires a prompt follow-up; and second, there has been a sudden change that risks earlier expectations, so they have to meet again.

In the first round, there were indications of some difficulties. However, it must be admitted that a second meeting within less than a month suggests some progress. Any form of negotiation between belligerent parties reflects goodwill for settlement.

Indonesia's basic agenda for the talks is based on special autonomy and the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). GAM's basic attitude has not shown fundamental changes yet. By choosing to hold talks abroad, GAM in fact sticks to its struggle for Aceh's freedom from the Republic of Indonesia. The tsunami disaster has apparently not altered its bargaining position.

Therefore, we should have the courage to change the way that Aceh affairs are approached. From the viewpoint that GAM is the problem of Aceh, the issue must be settled in Aceh and the group represented by its figures in Aceh.

T. DAUD YUSUF Jakarta