GAM sets conditions for fresh talks with govt
Ibnu Mat Noor, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh
The fate of peace talks between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian government remains unclear as the separatist movement is demanding that a third party be allowed to mediate as one of its conditions for further dialog to seek a comprehensive solution to the Aceh issue.
The separatist movement stated on Tuesday that it would no longer bow to pressure from the Indonesian government because GAM was complying with international procedure in seeking a comprehensive solution to the conflict.
"The previous talks have shown that Indonesia is not committed to solving the conflict constructively because it terminated the talks unilaterally and, instead, has launched a military operation to kill Acehnese people," GAM spokesman Ayah Sofyan told The Jakarta Post by telephone here on Tuesday.
Ayah was responding to HDC, an international non-governmental organization which helped organize bilateral talks between the two sides in Geneva in the past.
President Megawati has instructed Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh to resume talks with GAM and set a Feb. 11 deadline for the dialog. The government has also appointed a senior official at the foreign ministry to resume talks with GAM representatives, especially those overseas. No concrete steps have been taken to follow up last July's peace talks in Geneva.
Many political observers and non-governmental organizations suspect that the government is likely to revive the Iskandar Muda Military Command on Feb. 11, at which time the military operation in the restive province would be officially terminated unless no peaceful agreements between the two sides were reached.
Sofyan insisted that GAM would not go to the negotiating table until a cease-fire was called in the province.
"The solution to the Aceh conflict depends much on the Indonesian government. We will go to the negotiating table only if our conditions are met, otherwise we are prepared to continue waging war if it (Indonesia) continues with its repressive approach," he said.
GAM negotiators said it was impossible for them to go to Geneva in the near future because the government had prohibited them from leaving Aceh.
"It is impossible for us to participate in the planned meeting because our passports are still being held by the local immigration office," said Sofyan Ibrahim Tiba, coordinator of GAM negotiators.
Tiba, along with four other GAM negotiators, has been prohibited from leaving the province even under the guarantee of relatives and the HDC.
The four negotiators, namely Amni bin Achmad, Marzuki, Muhammad Lampoh Awe and Amdi bin Hamdani are staying at the Kuala Tripa Hotel in the city, while another, Nashiruddin bin Ahmad, is in the custody of Jakarta Police pending investigation in connection to a bombing case.
Tiba said they were of the opinion that the government should illustrate its political commitment to solving the conflict by declaring a truce in the province.
Tengku Abdullah, GAM spokesman in Sweden, said GAM was be ready to resume dialog with Indonesia due to the recent fatal shooting of GAM commander Abdullah Syafi'ie.
"Blood must be paid for with blood," he said.