House demands govt halt Aceh peace talks

Tony Hotland and Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Dissatisfied with the "insignificant" results of the latest peace talks in Finland, the House of Representatives demanded on Friday that the government drop plans for further negotiations with insurgents to end the decades-long separatist fighting in Aceh province.

The House has decided to send a warning note to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to convey its demand.

The decision was made during a meeting of House leaders and the chairpersons of Commission I on defense and foreign affairs, Commission II on domestic administration and local autonomy, and Commission III on legal affairs and security.

House deputy speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno said on Friday that the results of the fourth round of peace talks in Helsinki, Finland, which ended on Tuesday, had crossed the lines mutually agreed by the House and the government.

"We need to be stricter. A working meeting between the House and the government agreed that this (round) would be the last one if no significant progress was made," he said.

Soetardjo was referring to a meeting last week, where the government and the House agreed that a deadline to cease talks with Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leaders would be set if no final agreement was achieved.

He also said the decision to involve third (foreign) parties in the conflict had crossed over the line as the meeting had resulted in a commitment to minimize the involvement of foreigners.

The Indonesian delegates have said they and GAM had come to an agreement on most subsidiary points, including an amnesty and security arrangements, but not yet on the substantial issues, including the legalization of locally based political parties, the holding of new local elections, and the administrative status of Aceh.

The two sides also agreed to allow a greater role for the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in supervising the implementation of a peace agreement, while experts from the European Union would serve as observers for the peace talks.

In addition, the two sides agreed to hold a fifth round of informal talks on July 12 to be followed by more formal talks. Basic documents are being currently being drafted to form the basis for an eventual agreement.

Soetardjo said the House had objected to having the talks held in Helsinki from the start. He added that if more talks were needed, they should be held in Indonesia.

The House, however, failed to make any suggestions as to how the war in Aceh could be ended. However, it apparently believes that the government should proceed with military operations against GAM.

The breakdown of an earlier peace accord between the government and GAM in 2003 led to the imposition of martial law in the province. Last month, the government lifted the state of emergency in Aceh but did not withdraw any of the 35,000 troops stationed there.

Separately on Friday, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the separatist conflict in tsunami-ravaged Aceh must be resolved in a peaceful manner, and that the involvement of foreign parties was a common practice.

"Those who reject the current attempts to settle the separatist conflict in Aceh should know that the violence needs to be ended peacefully and in a dignified way. The talks are progressing and everybody should be glad of that," said Kalla.

He said the plan to include ASEAN and the EU was acceptable and usual.

"Indonesia has also been asked to monitor the peace talks between the Philippine government and Moro separatists," Kalla said.

He also said there was no way that GAM would agree to peace talks at home, and that the best solution was to have such talks in a neutral country.