Government to send minister to GAM talks
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)