New date sought for peace talks on Aceh

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)