Hope, wariness welcome signing of aceh peace accord

Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

Hope, relief and wariness were all part of the feelings in Aceh on Monday after the government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed a peace deal to end a decades-long bloody conflict that have claimed more than 10,000 lives, mostly innocent civilians.

Imam Suja, Aceh's noted religious leader, said on Monday that he was happy with the progress but reminded Acehnese people to contemplate on the meaning of the accord and not to be carried away in euphoria.

He said that the implementation of the accord would be the hardest part as all parties would have to abide by the agreements reached.

"The realization of the peace accord in the field is a must," Imam said.

The accord, which took two years to negotiate, was signed on the shores of Lake Geneva by S. Wiryono, representative of Indonesian government, and Dr. Zaini Abdullah of GAM.

The framework agreement calls for GAM to disarm over a two to five month period while Jakarta would withdraw many of its 22,000 troops there.

The key outstanding disagreement, left unresolved by the peace plan, is that the Acehnese side wants independence still, while Jakarta is only prepared to grant special autonomy.

According to the Henri Dunant Center (HDC) which has facilitated the negotiation since 2000, a monitoring team made up of representatives of GAM, Indonesian government and foreign countries would monitor any incidents that might happen during the ceasefire.

"Senior representatives of HDC who join the committee on security will arrive on Dec. 16 and join with the representatives of GAM and Indonesian government," William Dowell of HDC said in a statement.

Imam expressed optimism that the two conflicting parties should be able to implement the agreement because there would be some 150 people involved in the monitoring team to assist.

Meanwhile, most residents in the province have expressed happiness and relief after the "cessation of hostilities" agreement was signed.

"The most important thing for us people of Aceh is that there should be no more killings in Aceh," vegetable vendor Ramlah, 60, was quoted by AFP as saying.

In Jakarta, dozens of Acehnese leaders performed a thanks- giving prayer at the Al Azhar mosque in South Jakarta soon after the peace agreement was signed.

Deputy chief of GAM Aceh Besar Teungku Muharram told The Jakarta Post Monday that GAM gave its support to the accord although it still had some reservations about the good will of the Indonesian military (TNI) and police in the field.

"We will obey our commander's order and implement all instructions given. We will conduct what has been agreed upon in the accord. But we will stay alert; we will fight back if we are attacked," he said.

One of the points in the preamble makes clear that throughout the peace process, law and order will be the responsibility of the National Police. And the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) troops will be reformulated and no longer initiate offensive action.

Separately, TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto and some senior military officers welcomed the agreement when they learned of its signing.

Endriartono is planning to hold a "thanks-giving ceremony" or sujud on Tuesday with Aceh people and military personnel at Hiraq field in Lhokseumawe, North Aceh.

Endriartono promised that there would be no provocation from GAM and misconduct from military personnel in the field after the agreement.

"There will be no hostilities anymore," he was quoted by Aceh military spokesman Let. Col. Firdaus as saying.

Iskandar Muda military commander M. Djali Yusuf announced Monday that he would end the military siege in Cot Trieng and withdraw the troops there.

He said that military personnel who were still part of the siege had been ordered to cease movements and return to their former position.

"If there is an instruction from the government, the troops will be deployed to defensive positions," he said.

Endriartono earlier said in a press conference in Lhokseumawe that TNI's stance would depend on the situation in the field but it would make some adjustments in accordance with the peace accord, including withdrawing some troops currently deployed in the province.

"If criminal actions continue in the field then the reinforcements will be maintained but if there are no more criminal actions, they will be withdrawn gradually," he said.

At least 10,000 people have been killed in fighting in Aceh, at the northern tip of Sumatra island, since GAM was founded in December 1976.

Human rights workers say more than 1,200 people have died in the province this year alone and that four out of five victims were civilians.