Key passages from Aceh peace agreement

Key passages from Aceh peace agreement

Following are key passages from a seven-page Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) between the Indonesian government and the
Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel group, signed on Monday in
Helsinki.

"The Government of Indonesia (GoI) and the Free Aceh Movement
(GAM) confirm their commitment to a peaceful, comprehensive and
sustainable solution to the conflict in Aceh with dignity for
all.

Governing of Aceh:

A new Law on the Governing of Aceh will be promulgated and will
enter into force as soon as possible and not later than 31 March
2006.

Aceh will exercise authority within all sectors of public
affairs, which will be administered in conjunction with its civil
and judicial administration, except in the fields of foreign
affairs, external defense, national security, monetary and fiscal
matters, justice and freedom of religion, the policies of which
belong to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia in
conformity with the Constitution.

Aceh has the right to use regional symbols including a flag, a
crest and a hymn.

Political participation:

As soon as possible and not later than one year from the signing
of this MoU, GoI agrees to and will facilitate the establishment
of Aceh-based political parties that meet national criteria.
Understanding the aspirations of Acehnese people for local
political parties, GoI will create, within one year or at the
latest 18 months from the signing of this MoU, the political and
legal conditions for the establishment of local political parties
in Aceh in consultation with Parliament. The timely
implementation of this MoU will contribute positively to this
end.

Upon the signature of this MoU, the people of Aceh will have the
right to nominate candidates for the positions of all elected
officials to contest the elections in Aceh in April 2006 and
thereafter.

Economy:

Aceh has the right to raise funds with external loans. Aceh has
the right to set interest rates beyond that set by the Central
Bank of the Republic of Indonesia.

Aceh is entitled to retain seventy (70) per cent of the revenues
from all current and future hydrocarbon deposits and other
natural resources in the territory of Aceh as well as in the
territorial sea surrounding Aceh.

Rule of law:

An independent and impartial court system, including a court of
appeals, will be established for Aceh within the judicial system
of the Republic of Indonesia.

The appointment of the Chief of the organic police forces and the
prosecutors shall be approved by the head of the Aceh
administration. The recruitment and training of organic police
forces and prosecutors will take place in consultation with and
with the consent of the head of the Aceh administration in
compliance with the applicable national standards.

Human rights:

A Human Rights Court will be established for Aceh.

A Commission for Truth and Reconciliation will be established for
Aceh by the Indonesian Commission of Truth and Reconciliation
with the task of formulating and determining reconciliation
measures.

Amnesty and reintegration into society:

GoI will, in accordance with constitutional procedures, grant
amnesty to all persons who have participated in GAM activities as
soon as possible and not later than within 15 days of the
signature of this MoU.

Political prisoners and detainees held due to the conflict will
be released unconditionally as soon as possible and not later
than within 15 days of the signature of this MoU.

As citizens of the Republic of Indonesia, all persons having been
granted amnesty or released from prison or detention will have
all political, economic and social rights as well as the right to
participate freely in the political process both in Aceh and on
the national level.

GoI and the authorities of Aceh will take measures to assist
persons who have participated in GAM activities to facilitate
their reintegration into the civil society. These measures
include economic facilitation to former combatants, pardoned
political prisoners and affected civilians. A Reintegration Fund
under the administration of the authorities of Aceh will be
established.

Security arrangements:

GAM undertakes the decommissioning of all arms, ammunition and
explosives held by the participants in GAM activities with the
assistance of the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM). GAM commits to
hand over 840 arms.

The relocation of non-organic military and non-organic police
forces will begin on 15 September 2005 and will be executed in
four stages in parallel with the GAM decommissioning immediately
after each stage has been verified by the AMM,and concluded by 31
December 2005.

Establishment of the Aceh Monitoring Mission:

An Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) will be established by the
European Union and ASEAN contributing countries with the mandate
to monitor the implementation of the commitments taken by the
parties in this Memorandum of Understanding.

Monitors will have unrestricted freedom of movement in Aceh. Only
those tasks which are within the provisions of the MoU will be
accepted by the AMM. Parties do not have a veto over the actions
or control of the AMM operations.

Dispute settlement:

As a rule, eventual disputes concerning the implementation of
this MoU will be resolved by the Head of Monitoring Mission, in
dialogue with the parties, with all parties providing required
information immediately. The Head of Monitoring Mission will make
a ruling which will be binding on the parties.

If the Head of Monitoring Mission concludes that a dispute cannot
be resolved by the means described above, the dispute will be
discussed together by the Head of Monitoring Mission with the
senior representative of each party. Following this, the Head of
Monitoring Mission will make a ruling which will be binding on
the parties."