'It's about the lives of so many people'

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It was difficult to reach Hamid Awaluddin after his appointment as minister of justice and human rights in October last year.

The new minister often "disappeared" from public view, particularly at weekends.

Journalists were simply informed that Hamid had gone, for example, to Batam, Singapore or Malaysia. No official statements were ever made about his short, secretive trips.

One of his close aides said that Hamid was in the midst of talking to the leadership of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which was in Stockholm, Sweden.

Later in December, the government announced the appointment of Hamid as chief negotiator at the informal peace talks to end the armed conflict in Aceh, which started in 1976.

The former lecturer from Hasanuddin University's law school in Makassar remained tight-lipped over his role in the peace talks, which have successfully culminated in a peace deal.

He also consistently refused to reveal the full content of the agreement, although a draft of the truce was signed by both the government and GAM in July. Critics, and some legislators, accused the government of not being transparent and open on the issue.

Hamid explained that he had committed himself to an understanding with GAM that neither side would publish the full text of the peace agreement before its signing on Aug. 15 in Helsinki, Finland.

"If you want to make peace with others, you have to gain their trust and keep your promises," he said.

Hamid is not new to peace negotiations. He was involved intensively in the talks to end the conflicts in Poso and Ambon in 2002, which were initiated by the then coordinating minister for people's welfare, Jusuf Kalla.

After the successful conclusion of both peace talks, Kalla asked Hamid and several others whom he trusted to try to end the bloody conflict in Aceh.

Both Kalla, a successful businessman-turned-politician, and Hamid, are Buginese. They became close while Hamid was still in the United States, where he lived for about 10 years while working and simultaneously completing his doctorate in law from the American University in Washington D.C.

"Each conflict has a different background and circumstances. You must have perseverance as negotiations take time and patience ...," he explained.

He said the first round of talks with the GAM leadership in Helsinki, Finland, were "thorough".

Hamid felt that his educational background helped him a lot in dealing with such issues. In addition to his bachelor's degree and doctorate in law, Hamid also holds a masters degree in conflict resolution.

"That helped me a lot. I tried my best to understand the psychology of the other side," the 45-year-old said.

As the government's chief negotiator, Hamid's main task was to make sure that the negotiations ended in a satisfactory deal for both sides. It meant that the agreement had to be able to accommodate GAM's demands without violating Indonesia's Constitution.

"That was the challenge, but I was optimistic from the very beginning," Hamid said.

While working on the negotiations, another challenge faced him back home. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) summoned him as a witness in a graft case involving the General Elections Commission (KPU), of which he had been a member before being appointed a minister by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Kalla told Hamid, who was a member of the Joint Anticorruption Committee (TGPTPK) and an adviser to the Partnership for Governance Reform, to stay in Helsinki for a while before returning home.

After arriving back in Jakarta, Hamid said that he had nothing to do with the graft allegations leveled at the commission. He later visited the KPK for questioning. So far, the KPK has made accusations against KPU chairman Nazaruddin Syamsuddin and member Mulyana W. Kusumah only, as well as other KPU officials.

With respect to criticism of the peace talks from nationalist figures, Hamid responds calmly. He says simply that they have the right to express their views.

However, he maintains that a peace agreement is a prerequisite to ending the conflict in Aceh, particularly after last year's tsunami and earthquakes, which claimed the lives of some 200,000 people.

"Two weeks ago, I visited Aceh. I met people on the streets who asked me to sign the agreement as soon as possible," he said, adding that he had the full support of his family, relatives and friends.

Hamid signed the truce as the government's representative.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post prior to his departure to Helsinki on Saturday, he said that he was happy with the outcome of the talks.

"I'm pleased. Since becoming engaged in the talks, I have prayed a lot. I even pray in the middle of the night because it's all about the lives of so many people," he said.

However, Hamid stressed that the signing of the truce did not mean that every form of conflict in Aceh would immediately end.

"This is just the beginning. We all face a long journey ahead. The government will do its best to comply with the agreement to ensure a lasting peace in Aceh," he said.