Govt, GAM to meet in Geneva
Tiarma Siboro and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Banda Aceh
The government has agreed to hold a Joint Council meeting with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 25 in a bid to salvage the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA).
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said here on Tuesday that he would lead the government delegation.
Also included in the delegation are Indonesian Military Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Chief A.M. Hendropriyono and chief negotiator Wiryono Sastrohandoyo.
Susilo said the government was ready to meet with GAM in Geneva to attempt to solve the Aceh issue peacefully.
However, he maintained Aceh was part of Indonesia and that granting Aceh special autonomy to manage its own affairs had been final and there would no more discussions on the two basic points.
"The President (Megawati Soekarnoputri) has given two important guidelines in handling the Aceh conflict. The first is we have to try to solve the conflict peacefully and the second is that Aceh is an integral part of Indonesia," he said.
Susilo said he was aware that numerous parties hoped the meeting would reduce the possibility of war in Aceh but said a military operation would be a last resort if peaceful efforts to end the conflict failed.
"Indonesia will take all measures to maintain its sovereignty over Aceh and we will not bow down to the separatist movement," he said, referring to the government's recent meeting with the House of Representatives.
Amid increasing tension in Aceh, 40 social groups and non- governmental organizations have submitted a number of recommendations to the Joint Council to help salvage the COHA.
The organizations recommended the Henry Dunant Centre (HDC), who established the Joint Council, be given more power to enforce the COHA, to take action against any side violating the agreement and to supervise the dissemination of information regarding the COHA to the people.
In a joint statement released in Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh, on Tuesday, the groups said that both warring factions should return to the COHA, otherwise the Acehnese would suffer further should the government launch another military operation.
An estimated 10,000 people, mainly civilians, have been killed in the 27-year-old war.
The recommendations were delivered to the HDC leadership in Geneva, Megawati and the GAM leadership in Stockholm, Sweden.
"A war will erupt in Aceh and more and more people will be killed should GAM and the government fail to settle their differences in implementing the peace agreement," said Islamuddin S.T., representing the Center for Referendum Information (SIRA) in Aceh.
He said the tripartite meeting should also discuss Chapter 2 of the COHA, which guarantees the right to freedom of speech, as highlighted by the arrest of SIRA Chairman Muhammad Nazar.
Indonesian Women's True Partners organization (MISPI) director Syarifah Rahmatillah said both GAM and the military had breached the COHA because the HDC had no power to force both sides to comply with the agreement.
"Besides, both the HDC and the Joint Security Committee (JSC) have no power to take action against any group or individuals found guilty of violating the COHA.
"The three sides should make a new agreement that the dissemination of information on COHA must be under the supervision of the HDC," she said.
Waisul Qarany, a local councillor from the National Mandate Party (PAN), concurred and said the HDC and the JSC should be given a bigger role to play in enforcing the peace agreement.
The situation is growing tenser in Bireuen after a member of the police Mobile Brigade unit was killed and two others seriously injured in an attack by unidentified gunmen on a police truck in Kuta Makmur District.
North Aceh Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Eko Danyanto accused GAM of launching the assault.