GAM leaders should return home

GAM leaders should return home

From Republika

The head of the Aceh Monitoring Mission, Pieter Feith, has called on leaders of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) who live in Sweden and elsewhere to return to Aceh because it is now safe.

I completely agree with Feith because there is no reason for those leaders to delay their return after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between GAM and the Indonesian government. Furthermore, their return would be significant, giving the Acehnese extra spirit to implement the memorandum.

A number of GAM's elite and seniors have already integrated into the community. Others have even joined the rehabilitation and reconstruction program in Aceh and, with the signing of the MOU, they have automatically regained their Indonesian citizenship.

There should be no questions about their personal security and/or other problems with the government. The central government has in fact instructed the military and police to protect them.

But if the GAM elite do not heed this appeal, we have every reason to be suspicious about their seriousness in establishing peace in Aceh -- they may have a "grand strategy" behind the signing of the MOU.

Such attitude would harm their integrity -- politically and psychologically -- particularly when it comes to the approaching regional elections.

T. YUSUF SYARIFUDDIN Banda Aceh