Minister warns Aceh truce might be broken
Minister warns Aceh truce might be broken
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The top security minister warned on Monday that Indonesia
could withdraw from the peace agreement with the separatist Free
Aceh Movement (GAM) if the international monitoring team failed
to take "serious action" to stop violence in the restive
province.
"We (the Indonesian government) have yet to decide whether or
not to withdraw from the peace agreement," Coordinating Minister
for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said
on Monday after giving a clarification about his Rp 3.5 billion
(US$388,890) wealth.
"We urge the Joint Security Commission (JSC) to be more
professional and take tough action against escalating violence
that has continued to occur there.
"We all agree with this (agreement) to stop problems in the
province... Therefore, I give this warning before the agreement
is broken."
Representatives from the Indonesian government and GAM signed
the cessation of hostilities agreement in Geneva on Dec. 9,
hailed by many as a breakthrough to end the decades-long armed
conflict in Aceh that had claimed more than 10,000 lives.
The police recorded more than 50 violations of the agreement,
committed both by Indonesian security forces and rebels, only a
week after it was signed.
Such violations, however, included alleged extortion by
security forces of truck drivers plying routes within the
troubled province.
The latest recorded violation occurred late last week when a
group of unidentified people, believed to be rebels, shot Chief
Pvt. Hadi at Krueng Teunom village, Lammo district, West Aceh.
GAM, however, has yet to declare responsibility for these
violations.
JSC, with members representing the government, GAM and
international monitors, regretted the continuing violations and
promised to investigate all incidents thoroughly and impose
penalties on truce violators.
Should any party -- whether it be Indonesia or GAM -- violate
the agreement or feel unsatisfied with the sanction or decision
taken by JSC, it would be allowed to appeal to the Joint Council
as the supreme institution.
"If JSC has no intention of holding an investigation into the
violations, I will file a protest so that the Joint Council --
which is superior to JSC -- can hold a meeting prior to the end
of the first period of cessation of hostilities.
In charge in the council are Susilo, Malik Machmud,
representing GAM and Martin Griffiths of the Henry Dunant Centre,
which mediated the peace talks.
According to the peace agreement, the two parties agreed to
cease hostilities within the first two months ending Feb. 9,
followed by demilitarization over the subsequent seven months.
The two parties, however, have not yet agreed on a
demilitarization mechanism for Aceh.