Government to send minister to GAM talks

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will send Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Agum Gumelar to the peace talks between the government and the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Geneva early next month, Minister of Defense Mahfud M.D. announced on Friday.

Agum, a retired Army general, will be the highest-ranking government official ever to sit at the negotiation table with GAM representatives.

Speaking to reporters after attending a Cabinet meeting on Aceh, Mahfud said Agum would be among the Indonesian delegation led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for Political Affairs Hassan Wirayuda at the two-day meeting, scheduled for July 2 and 3.

"The peace dialogue will be attended by Minister Agum Gumelar," said Mahfud, indicating that Agum would likely be present at the signing of the peace agreement.

In May last year, Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab canceled his plan to witness the signing of a peace agreement between the two parties in Switzerland, at the request of President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri chaired the ministerial meeting at Merdeka Selatan Palace that was also attended by Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh.

During the meeting, Megawati expressed her expectation that the government would be able resolve the Aceh conflict before celebrating the 56th anniversary of Indonesia's independence on Aug. 17. She also hoped the good news could be reported to the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) during its plenary meeting in August.

"Ibu hopes there will be happy news on Aug. 17 on Aceh as a present for the Indonesian people," Mahfud noted.

After a six-month deadlock, Agum announced on Wednesday the government's readiness to accept an invitation from the Geneva- based Henry Dunant Center that has been the facilitator of the truce negotiations.

Hassan Wirayuda and GAM's representative Abdullah Zaini signed an agreement for a one-month moratorium on violence in January.

The January deal was concluded just before the expiry of the Humanitarian Pause signed in May last year between the two parties.

In Aceh, a GAM spokesman said on Friday they planned to raise two agenda items in the negotiations.

Nasharuddin Ahmad said these were the cessation of the use of repressive measures or the 'military campaign' launched by the Indonesian government, and the request for greater opportunity for civilians to settle the conflicts peacefully.

"The two items are actually the basic principles that were agreed at the last meeting in January, but now we want to implement them and ask for the Indonesian government's commitment and seriousness in carrying out what we have agreed."

Armed conflicts in Aceh have continued, despite regular talks between the Indonesian government and the rebel group. In 2001 alone, at least 750 people have been killed in conflicts throughout the province, most of whom were civilians.

The latest incident was the discovery of four bodies in Dadan district in Central Aceh regency. Thousands of other residents in the district fled, to seek refugee in the regency capital of Takengon.

Aceh Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Sad Harunantyo pointed the finger at GAM for the killings.

"The perpetrators of the killings are GAM personnel. They have killed the residents and intimidated others into leaving the area," Harunantyo said in Banda Aceh.

GAM spokesman for Central Aceh Amda Hamdani flatly denied this. "We simply want to take back the villages that have been occupied by TNI and their militia," he said.

Meanwhile, deputy speaker of the Central Aceh council Tagore Abubakar Bintang disclosed on Friday that some 200 people from Cemparan, Buntul Kemumu and Gunung Jati villages had been taken hostage by unidentified armed civilians since June 9, after the armed gang rampaged through the village and killed at least 42 people. (50/emf/prb)