Govt told to revive peace talks with rebels

Nani Farida and Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh/Jakarta

As most Acehnese have rejected the government's proposal that a state of civil emergency be imposed on the restive province, there is no option left for the government except to forge ahead with dialog, activists and legislators said on Sunday.

Leader of the Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA) Muhammad Nazar said the central government should drop its proposal for a state of civil emergency, or even martial law, in Aceh and continue with the current round of peace talks so as to end the fighting.

"If a civil emergency or martial law is imposed, it will be impossible to find a resolution to the Aceh conflict through dialog," he told The Jakarta Post.

Lawmaker Ghazali Abas Adan said the central government had no choice but to accept the mounting calls by the Acehnese people to hold talks with the rebel Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and stop the shooting.

"There must be no more military operations that only make the poor people suffer ... don't kill any more people," Ghazali, an Acehnese representative in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), was quoted by Antara as saying.

He urged the central government to further "open its eyes" in an effort to resolve the conflict following last week's visit to Aceh by Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Hours after Susilo and his entourage ended their visit on Saturday, Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh said that 90 percent of the local people were opposed to the proposed imposition of a civil emergency to stop the fighting in the rebellious province.

Following a dialog with representatives of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Geneva, the government announced in April that it planned to hold an "all-inclusive" dialog with the Acehnese this month. The plan, however, has not been realized. More than 9,000 people, mostly civilians, have died in Aceh since the 1970s when the armed rebellion started.

Those against the imposition of a state of civil emergency in Aceh include influential Muslim clerics, who play a major role in the strongly Muslim province, local government officials, legislators and human rights activists.

Susilo said the government would announce its decision on what to do with the province in August.

Nazar said the government had in reality imposed de facto martial law in Aceh with troops continuing to raid villages suspected of harboring rebels, and that it was now seeking a legal umbrella to intensify its military operation.

"Especially now that there are plans to beef up security in Aceh," he added.

Nazar said the intensive sweeps had forced hundreds of civilians from at least 12 villages in the subdistrict of Simpang Ulim, East Aceh, to flee their homes since July 10, 2002.

Abdurrahman Yacob, another local human rights activist, demanded that the central government listen to the Acehnese people's wishes and protect them from all kinds of violence.

"The Aceh administration is the most knowledgeable about what is happening in Aceh and what is most needed by the people," he added.

"If it is only intended to crush GAM and prevent the country from disintegrating, why should there be a civil emergency or martial law imposed?" he asked, referring to the rebel group by its acronym.

Yacob said that a dialog with all elements in Aceh, including GAM leaders, was the most appropriate way of resolving the conflict.

Yasril Ananta Baharuddin, a deputy chairman of the House defense and foreign affairs committee, said the government would be forced to reconsider its plan to impose a civil emergency in Aceh.

However, he stressed that his committee would continue to back the government's plan to take resolute action against the armed rebel group fighting for an independent state in Aceh.

"Without firm action against separatism, the conflict will not be stopped," Yasril told the Post.

Claiming that long-running talks with GAM had not been effective, he said there should be no more negotiations with its leaders especially as they had taken up arms, killed and terrorized Acehnese people.

"It is normal in other countries, including the United States, that separatists or terrorists will be crushed," Yasril said.

Meanwhile, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leader Solahuddin Wahid said that the Acehnese ulemas along with impartial foreigners should be involved in facilitating talks between the government and GAM.

Peace talks should be held on a ongoing basis to resolve the Aceh conflict, he said. "If this is not effective, another approach should be found," he added without elaborating.