Manila recalls peace monitors to Banda Aceh

Manila recalls peace monitors to Banda Aceh

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The lack of a security guarantee has prompted the Philippines to
consider temporarily to recall its peace monitors from field
operations in the strife-torn Indonesian province of Aceh.

Filipino Foreign Secretary Blas Ople said their diplomats were
working with the Indonesian government and the Geneva-based Henry
Dunant Centre (HDC) to ensure the safety of the eight Filipino
monitors.

"Until we are sure that they can safely conduct their peace
monitoring activities, our peace monitors will be withdrawn from
the field and will be momentarily staying in Bandar Aceh, the
capital city, where they will be safe," he said in a statement as
quoted by DPA.

The Filipino team is part of the Joint Security Committee
(JSC) assigned to oversee the implementation of the Cessation of
Hostilities Agreement (COHA) signed last year between Jakarta and
the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel group to end the 26-year
conflict. JSC comprises international monitors and
representatives of both the Indonesian government and GAM.

The peace deal calls for a ceasefire and for GAM to lay down
their arms, while the Indonesian military and the police are to
reposition themselves in a strictly defensive role.

Ople condemned the recent outbreak of violent demonstrations.

"The Philippines strongly deplores these acts of lawless
violence," he said. "They perpetuate the divisions and hatreds
that have caused the deaths of thousands in Aceh."

Ople stressed, however, that the Philippines remains
"committed to the peace process and will continue to play our
role as long as we can do so safely".

The removal of the Filipino monitors capped a week of events
that have placed additional strain on the already fragile peace
process.

Following the second attack this month on a JSC office on
Sunday and a rally against the monitoring team on Monday,
violence has escalated in the resource-rich province with the
killing of nine GAM members on Tuesday. As a result, all 100 JSC
international members were recalled from their offices in remote
areas of the province to Banda Aceh for security reasons.

The Indonesian government, which has repeatedly accused GAM of
breaching the agreement, called for a Joint Council meeting to
salvage the peace accord, which GAM quickly rejected.

GAM's refusal prompted the government to announce a possible
military operation to restore peace and order in Aceh.

While confirming its recognition of the national integrity of
Indonesia, the United States reiterated on Friday its call for
both parties to give peace a chance.

Speaking at a media press conference at the U.S. Embassy,
Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce said he did not believe the ongoing
peace process would lead to independence for Aceh, considering
that special autonomy was the best option for the Acehnese.

"A military operation is a decision for the government. (But)
The best way is for the special autonomy law to be applied as
soon as possible and for GAM to comply to the provisions of the
COHA and for the government also, both sides," Boyce said.

The U.S., along with Japan, the European Union and the World
Bank, are co-chairs of the Tokyo Preparatory Conference on Peace
and Reconstruction in Aceh.

Critics also demanded that both Indonesia and GAM empower the
JSC, saying that their different points of view should be
discussed among the team, instead of used to provoke the public.

"The JSC is comprised of representatives from the Indonesian
government, GAM and the HDC. All parties have to respect the
forum and delegate all problems into a clear mechanism.

"But nowadays, all parties have opted to share the
difficulties they are facing with the public, which I call
provocation. I don't see them honoring the JSC and sharing all
things in regard with the peace agreement," sociologist Otto
Iskandar Ishak told the Post.

He branded the violence against peace monitors as "efforts to
destroy the peace process".

Meanwhile, Munir of the military watchdog Impartial said it
was too early for the government to call for a Joint Council
meeting or to launch a military operation in Aceh, saying that
the problems that had arisen recently had developed from
technical matters, not substantial issues.