Hopes high for Aceh peace deal to last forever

Hopes high for Aceh peace deal to last forever

Kornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh, Aceh

As stipulated by the cessation of hostilities agreement signed by
Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), the GAM rebels are to
begin disarming by Feb. 9, while the Indonesian Military (TNI)
and the National Police will at the same time begin pulling back
their combat forces to defensive areas. The Jakarta Post
journalist Kornelius Purba was in Aceh from Jan. 23 to Feb. 5,
and he reports on the situation in the province and the
implementation of the cease-fire agreement.

An Army officer described how his stint in strife-torn Aceh
resembled the movie Sleeping with the Enemy in which Julia
Roberts stars.

He said he had to get along with a member of the Free Aceh
Movement (GAM), whom he may have killed under other circumstances
had the Indonesian government and the rebel group failed to reach
a peace deal.

The captain recalled his first experience in December, when he
had to sleep in the next room to a GAM member in Riza Hotel in
Sigli, Pidie regency. Because he was barred from carrying any
weapons, the officer called the chief of the local district
military command to send some personnel to secretly guard his
hotel room.

"I could not sleep until morning. I did not want to be killed
in my sleep," said the officer who refused to be identified.

A few days later he met with the rebel, who told the captain
of the same experience. After that they agreed to depend on one
another for protection because they would have to live together
for a few months to come. At night sometimes they would walk out
together to find something to eat.

The military officer and his GAM next-door neighbor are
members of the monitoring team of the Joint Security Commission
(JSC), set up to supervise the peace process in Aceh. The team in
Pidie is headed by Maj. Suthep Anuchon from Thailand.

"It is part of the confidence building measures," said Suthep.

After 26 years of living dangerously, a sense of security has
swept through Indonesia's westernmost province of Aceh over the
last two months, from the provincial capital Banda Aceh to rebel
strongholds like regencies Pidie and East Aceh.

Peace had become a luxury commodity in the rebellious
territory in the past, but now the Acehnese people can taste a
slice of the good fortune.

For many people, walking or sitting in public parks without
fear at night is a treat. Their evenings were often shattered by
sudden bomb explosions or dead bodies lying on the streets.

"For years we experienced a nightmare. Now we can enjoy a
peaceful life," said Hotli a local photographer who works for an
international news agency.

The number of killings has also sharply declined. Even the
Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers and police personnel, who
battled with GAM rebels for almost three decades, share a common
view that Aceh now is safer for everyone.

"People are happy with this peace," Tengku Kamaruzzaman, a
senior GAM official told The Jakarta Post.

An Army corporal stood at the gate the Iskandar Muda Military
Command (Kodam) on Jl. Jend. A. Yani in Banda Aceh. He said he
felt more secure now standing in front of the office because
before the Dec. 9 peace accord, he was always worried about GAM
snipers.

"Now that peace has come, I want to go home. I miss my
family," said the soldier, a West Java native.

Security conditions have improved greatly in the province for
those who run businesses.

"Now I can open my kedai kopi (coffee shop) until late night.
Before the peace agreement I had to close before 7 p.m.," said
Jalil Ibrahim, who owns a small coffee shop across from the
Baiturrahman grand mosque in Banda Aceh.

Ayi Jufridan, a reporter for Serambi Indonesia daily, hopes
both GAM and Indonesia will avoid violence and choose political
settlement through dialog to reach their goals.

Zaini Hasyim, a peanut trader, enjoys the freedom from fear.
He said that after the peace accord he could drive his Kijang van
at night when he returned to Banda Aceh from Sare in Greater
Aceh. Before the signing of the peace agreement, even during the
day time he would think twice about driving alone.

Despite the semblance of peace, armed police and military
personnel were seen patrolling major streets in Banda Aceh early
this month. Similar sights were also visible in Sigli, Bireun,
Lhokseumawe, Langsa and other towns, although they looked more
relaxed compared to Banda Aceh.

Military posts along the highway connecting Banda Aceh and
Medan in North Sumatra remain operational, although soldiers
there were busy reading newspapers or chatting with one another.
A big announcement in front of each security post tells passersby
not to give anything to the soldiers. However at some major
security posts, truck drivers would often stop to give money.

Public transportation vehicles traveling between Banda Aceh
and Medan and trucks carrying commodities have now resumed their
night operations. Previously they only worked in daylight hours
because GAM, the military or police often extorted money from
them in the past.

"The problem is no longer about security, but passengers. The
number of passengers remains very low, perhaps due to economic
hardship," said Fajar Baizuri, a bus driver in Bireun.

Lhokseumawe, the biggest industrial city in the province, has
also found a new life. Night life has slowly returned to normal,
where shops, restaurants and the local market open until late.

A security guard at Selat Malaka Hotel in the city expressed
relief that number of the hotel guests had significantly
increased.

"The boss can smile now. Before this he always looked at me
with a stone face," the guard noted.

In Langsa, East Aceh, a 45-year old woman expressed her hope
that both TNI, police or GAM would no longer disturb the life of
the ordinary people.

"If they want to continue the war, I hope they can do it deep
in the jungle. I just hope we will be free from violence for
good," said the woman who sells VCDs.

However most Acehnese would answer, "we don't know," when
asked how long peace could last in the war-torn province. Many of
them are afraid that the two warring parties are undergoing a
military build-up during the cease-fire as GAM and the military
believe their only goal is to eliminate their enemies.

Observers have said eternal peace can prevail in the province
when the government and all involved parties have the political
will to overcome the roots of the bloody conflict in Aceh.

The government has made a good start and if it is sincere
about healing the people's broken hearts we can hope that
children can play freely in public parks and enjoy their school
years without any security disturbances.