Govt, Aceh rebels agree to keep on talking peace
Govt, Aceh rebels agree to keep on talking peace
Nina Larson, Agence France-Presse, Helsinki
The Indonesian government and Aceh separatists on Saturday agreed to hold a fourth round of peace talks next month, saying the third round ended on a "constructive note", the Finnish hosts said.
The talks, which were wrapped up a day ahead of schedule, were aimed at ending a drawn-out conflict that has left more than 12,000 people dead.
"The negotiations have been held in a positive and constructive atmosphere," said former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, the mediator in the talks.
The new round of talks will take place from May 26 to May 31, he said.
The two sides have agreed to continue seeking "a permanent and comprehensive solution with dignity for all" to the conflict, Ahtisaari said.
They are willing to define a local administrative framework and explore the possibility of reform involving local elections.
They would also continue to talk about an amnesty for rebels, and combat corruption as well as review the allocation of revenue between the central government and Aceh.
Both sides also welcomed a future role for regional organizations in monitoring commitments made by both sides and promised to "do their utmost to restrain their security forces in the field during the negotiating process".
The rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) launched their campaign for independence in 1976, accusing the central government of plundering the region's resources.
When government and GAM delegations met for an initial round of Helsinki talks in January it was the first time they had stood face-to-face since May 2003, when the government declared martial law and launched a major military offensive in the province.
The renewed efforts to reach a peaceful solution were prompted by a need for international aid to reach the province worst hit by the Dec. 26 tsunamis. More than 126,000 people died in Aceh alone.
During the third round of Helsinki talks, which began on Tuesday, the two delegations discussed a number of issues including how to implement self-governance in Aceh, the reintegration of GAM into civil society and their possible political participation, economic issues, security and international monitoring of the situation in the region.
The government on Friday indicated that it had no problem with at least some of GAM's suggestions, including issues related to management of the region's rich natural resources.
The cooperative mood in Helsinki has been clouded by continued fighting on the ground in Aceh and by the Indonesian Military's decision on Thursday to send another 3,000 troops into the province.
On Saturday, the military, which has admitted to killing more than 260 rebels since the tsunami, said it had seized a large cache of ammunition and shot dead a rebel in Aceh Besar district.
While experts expressed optimism this week that the talks appeared to be heading in the right direction, they insisted that the dialog needs to be extended beyond the negotiating table in Helsinki.