Govt, HDC hold meeting to fix peace deal violations

Govt, HDC hold meeting to fix peace deal violations

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government and the Henry Dunant Centre (HDC) began a two-day
meeting on Thursday to hammer out what constitutes a violation of
the demilitarization process in Aceh, more than three months
after Jakarta and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed a Cessation
of Hostilities agreement in Geneva, Switzerland in December 2002.

The government was represented by Coordinating Minister for
Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Minister
of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda, National Police chief Gen.
Da'i Bachtiar and Indonesia Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono
Sutarto, while the HDC was represented by chairman Martin
Griffith and HDC director for Aceh Affairs David Gorman.

Endriartono said on Thursday that the talks were aimed at
formulating the criteria for violations of the truce, which has
sparked a debate between the government and GAM following the
demilitarization phase on Feb. 9.

"We don't know their assumptions. That is why we are holding
this meeting to discuss the matter," Endriartono said after the
meeting, which is expected to end on Friday.

The government, Endriartono said, proposed two main points
during the discussion. The first point was about the disarmament
of GAM, and the second was about a possible independence campaign
during the demilitarization phase.

Endriartono said the government understood that the Joint
Security Committee (JSC) was facing difficulty in disarming GAM
as the peace facilitator had no accurate information on the
number of firearms or ammunition GAM possessed and it did not
have enough monitors to observe the disarmament.

The JSC, which is charged with monitoring the peace process,
groups representatives from the Indonesian government and GAM, as
well as foreign monitors, who represent the HDC and are led by a
Thai general.

The demilitarization agreement took effect two months after
the signing of a peace accord aimed at ending 26 years of
hostilities in the resource-rich province.

Under the agreement, GAM is expected to lay down 20 percent of
its arms at 32 secret designated sites in eight regencies across
Aceh every month until July. The TNI and the police, on the other
hand, have had to move back to their barracks and change their
position from a strike force to a defensive one.

"No firearms are to be found in Aceh in July. Otherwise, we
will consider it a crime and the case will be handled accordingly
by the police," Endriartono said.

The government, according to Endriartono, also proposed that
any independence campaign in Aceh would be considered a violation
of the truce.

Endriartono said the HDC would assess the government proposal
and discuss it later with GAM.

The Geneva-based HDC has brokered peace talks between the
government and GAM since 2000, including last year's truce.
Previous cease-fires have never lasted.

Earlier this month, JSC's representative office in Takengon,
Central Aceh was attacked by mobs, prompting JSC to evacuate its
personnel to Banda Aceh.

Meanwhile, Thai armed forces commander Gen. Surayud Chulanont
arrived in Banda Aceh on Thursday to visit Thai officers
monitoring the cease-fire.

Surayud, who had arrived on Wednesday in Jakarta with a
delegation of 12 officers, was scheduled to meet Governor
Abdullah Puteh for a briefing, said Thai General Tanongsuk
Tuvinun.