Govt proposes draft peace agreement to GAM

Govt proposes draft peace agreement to GAM

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government has submitted the draft of a peace agreement to
the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and proposed dates for a dialog with
the secessionist movement, a Cabinet minister says.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Monday the draft had been submitted
to the Switzerland-based Henry Dunant Center (HDC), which has
brokered peace talks between the Indonesian government and GAM.

"We have taken the initiative to propose a peace agreement and
an end to hostilities. We have communicated (our peace proposal)
to HDC, and we are now giving HDC time to communicate with GAM,"
Susilo was quoted by Antara as saying after a special
coordinating meeting of political and security affairs ministers.

Susilo refused to reveal the details of the government's peace
proposal, saying that it was still being finalized.

The coordinating meeting was attended by Minister of Defense
Matori Abdul Djalil, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril
Ihza Mahendra, Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono
Sutarto, National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Lt. Gen.
Hendropriyono, and National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar.

Susilo said the government had also proposed two possible
dates for peace talks with GAM -- either at the end of September
or early October.

"We are waiting for their response and, if positive, a dialog
can take place early October based on the May 10 Agreement," he
said.

The government and GAM agreed in May to take Aceh's special
status, introduced on Jan. 1, 2001, as the sole basis for future
talks and to end all armed conflict in the province.

Susilo stressed that the government wanted to resolve the Aceh
question peacefully once and for all.

Meanwhile, two men believed to be GAM members gunned down a
soldier in Kuta Blang, near the North Aceh district capital of
Lhokseumawe, late on Sunday, Aceh military spokesman Maj. Zaenal
Muttaqin told Agence France-Presse Monday.

The victim and two assailants were all riding motorcycles, he
said.

Also on Sunday, villagers in Kandang, in North Aceh district,
found the bodies of two unidentified men. Both had gunshot
wounds, residents said.

Meanwhile, three soldiers who were shopping at a market in
Panton Labu, in North Aceh district, were wounded Monday after
two unidentified men threw a grenade at them, Muttaqin said.

Local GAM spokesman Teungku Jamaika claimed responsibility for
the grenade incident.

More than 10,000 people are estimated to have died since 1976
when GAM began its fight for independence in the province at the
northern tip of Sumatra island. An Acehnese rights body has said
some 1,000 civilians have been killed this year alone.