New date sought for peace talks on Aceh

JAKARTA (JP): The government said here on Wednesday it had agreed to resume peace talks with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels but ruled out the possibility of granting independence to the volatile province for fear that it would become another East Timor.

The announcement of readiness for the resumption of peace talks dismissed the fact that a rebel leader, in a written statement issued on Monday, said his group was pulling out of the negotiations with the government to protest the escalating violence by security personnel in Aceh.

Speaking to reporters at the State Palace, Director for Political Affairs at the foreign ministry Hasan Wirayuda claimed that GAM members were still trying to set up a new date for the peace talks, which were originally scheduled to start in a town near Geneva on Thursday.

"We hope that (the talks) could take place by the end of this month or before (Ramadhan) fasting month," Hasan said.

Hasan, who was also the signatory representing Jakarta to a truce between the government and the rebels in May, said GAM had sought the delay in order not to clash with the Congress of the Aceh People organized by the Information Center for the Aceh Referendum (SIRA).

The truce, officially dubbed the Humanitarian Pause, was extended in September for another three months but has so far failed to reduce tension and violence in Aceh.

On Tuesday, Acehnese leaders from across the province adopted a declaration in favor of secession from Jakarta.

The declaration demanded the government "return the sovereignty of Aceh to the Acehnese nation."

It also sought the withdrawal of security forces from the province and urged Jakarta to accept responsibility for military atrocities in the province.

Other demands were intervention and mediation by the UN and other foreign countries, and the revoking of a declaration of war by the Netherlands against the kingdom of Aceh of March 26, 1873, which the separatists argue is proof of Aceh's sovereignty.

No independence

But Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said later in the day that Jakarta would not bow to demands for a referendum on independence.

"The political solution to the Aceh problem is still within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, (and) not independence for that region," Susilo told journalists.

"We had a very valuable experience with (last year's) popular consultation in East Timor; we do not wish to repeat such a mistake," he added.

Indonesia lost the territory in a UN-sponsored referendum after its people voted overwhelmingly for independence in August last year.

Susilo also said the demands for withdrawal of troops and police, accused of widespread human rights abuses in the past, were unlikely to be met.

"If we pull them out, that would very much go against the principles of order and security," he told reporters.

At least 14 people died after police blocked Acehnese trying to travel to Banda Aceh for Saturday's rally, activists said. The military said the only people killed were separatist rebels.

The violence was the latest in Aceh despite a cease fire that has been in place since June 2.

Susilo indicated that if the Humanitarian Pause was ineffective in maintaining peace and order, the government were considering a civil emergency status for Aceh.

"However, the government will continue the Humanitarian Pause or stop it and formulate another option which remains within the framework of a peaceful solution," Susilo said.

Separately, chairman of the Aceh chapter of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) Imam Suja' and Director of the Coalition of Aceh Non-Governmental Organizations on Human Rights Maimul Fidar expressed hopes that the political dialog could be conducted as planned to speed up the settlement to the Aceh problem.

An activist with the Aceh National Commission on Human Rights Sepriady Utama said on Tuesday that the commission planned to summon Aceh police chief Chaerul R. Rasyidi soon as he should be held accountable for various incidents of violence against civilians prior to the SIRA RAKAN.

The Commission data recorded 30 people dead, and 62 injured in separate violence, linked to the mass gathering.

On the commission's plan, Chaerul said he was ready to answer the summon.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly Amien Rais in his capacity as the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) arrived here at Banda Aceh. The visit was a part of his "Tour de Sumatra".

While ruling out independence for the province, the staunch critic of President Abdurrahman Wahid said Jakarta was slow in responding to Aceh's problems and failed to materialize its promises, such as endorsing a law dubbed Nangro Aceh Darussalam, (Aceh Darussalam territory), granting the province special autonomy and to revert Sabang seaport into a free seaport. (02/50/lup/buy)