GAM sets conditions for fresh talks with govt

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.