Muslim figures call for peaceful solution to Aceh problems

Muslim figures call for peaceful solution to Aceh problems

Tiarma Siboro and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Two noted Muslim leaders reiterated their concern about the
government's plan to launch a military operation in the resource-
rich province of Aceh, asking that a peace accord with local
rebels be given more time to work.

Chairman of the country's second largest Muslim organization
Muhammadiyah, Ahman Syafii Maarif and respected Muslim
intellectual Nurcholis "Cak Nur" Madjid appealed again for a
peaceful solution.

"A security approach would not solve the problem but rather
would destroy the province," Syafii said on Thursday. "I met
yesterday with President Megawati (Soekarnoputri) to convey my
skepticism over the government's policy in Aceh."

He said the President should have given more attention to
social and welfare problems in the province rather than planning
a mass deployment of troops there.

The government has said it would resume its military operation
amid signs that the peace deal with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
was faltering.

But according to Syafii, the peace deal has failed to take
root as both sides view the deal differently.

He suggested Indonesia and GAM revise the Cessation of
Hostilities Agreement (COHA) to solve the misunderstanding.

"There are crucial points in the agreement that need further
evaluation and amendment," Syafii said.

He said GAM saw the COHA as the starting point for
independence.

The preamble of the COHA requires GAM to accept Aceh's special
autonomy status. But while GAM considers the special autonomy as
a gateway to independence, Indonesia says autonomy is all it is
prepared to give.

"Such differences in the way the peace deal is viewed should
be seen as a beginning to continue dialog in the planned meeting
to create lasting peace in the province," Syafii said.

Calls for a peaceful solution have intensified lately in
reaction to the government's planned military operation.

GAM has been fighting for independence since 1976, in a war
that has claimed over 10,000 lives most of whom were civilians.

The COHA marked the first breakthrough as a step toward
bringing a more permanent peace to Aceh. Negotiated over a period
of over two years under the auspices of the Swiss-based Henry
Dunant Centre (HDC), the COHA aims to first end fighting before
moving toward a political solution to the conflict.

Since the deal was signed last December, the level of violence
in Aceh has dropped significantly. Life has returned to normal
for many Acehnese.

Over the past few weeks, however, the implementation of COHA
has ran into a wall. GAM refuses to relocate its weapons and is
still campaigning for independence. Fighting should have stopped
by now, yet it continues in some parts of the province.

GAM and Indonesia will meet for a Joint Council meeting in
Japan on April 25, in a last ditch effort to safe the COHA.

Syafii suggested the government seek nonmilitary solutions.
"Violence will never win the hearts and minds of the Acehnese,"
he added.

Cak Nur agreed. He said Jakarta's long mistreatment of the
Acehnese had sown hatred against the government.

"Aceh has been contributing a lot to the country from its
natural resources. But we have failed to make the people prosper
there," he said.

"The key point is a peaceful solution. If the government
insists on launching a military operation, it must be a limited
one to avoid casualties among civilians," he said.

On Thursday, hundreds of Acehnese demonstrated along Jakarta
main thoroughfares in rejection of the military operation. They
also called on the United Nations to stop the province descending
into violence.

Hidayat Nurwahid of the Welfare Justice Party (PKS), who
recently orchestrated a massive antiwar rally against the United
States' attack on Iraq, voiced support for a military solution in
Aceh.

"The issue of Aceh is different from Iraq because in Aceh
people are campaigning to separate the province from Indonesia,"
he said.