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

'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.