Peace felt on eve of Aceh deal signing
Tiarma Siboro and Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh
An atmosphere of peace prevailed in Aceh ahead of an historic day that many hope will mark an end to almost three decades of bloodshed.
Hundreds of people thronged Baiturrahman Grand Mosque on Sunday to pray for nothing to stand in the way of the signing of a peace deal between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel group in Helsinki on Monday.
"I wish for lasting peace in Aceh, which would not merely take place in main towns, but also the remote places across the province," a blind man, Rasiddin, 34, said as he joined the prayer.
"We are tired of living amid a long-standing conflict."
Rasiddin lives in Barak Ruko Darussalam, a remote village in Aceh Besar regency that is considered a GAM stronghold.
A woman shared a similar hope, although she was more cautious.
"Shaking hands is easy, but it's not so easy to do it from the heart," she said.
Tuesday's peace agreement, if it materializes, will be the third one signed in Aceh since former president Abdurrahman Wahid initiated a humanitarian pause in the province in 2000.
GAM has been waging a guerrilla war since 1976 to found a independent state in the natural resource-rich province.
Continuing violence has since then killed around 15,000 people, mostly civilians.
Earlier on Sunday morning, hundreds of students from state-run Syiah Kuala University and others institutions grouped under the All Aceh Student Executive Body (BEM) took to the streets to express their desire for peace.
They distributed white paper roses to pedestrians.
"We hope that the peace talks will not benefit certain groups in Aceh nor serve to entertain the elite of politics. More than that, the peace agreement should mark the real reintegration of all Aceh people who have suffered from the prolonged trauma upon witnessing members of their families kidnapped, tortured and killed by both warring parties," the students said in their statement.
The message came amid the students' concern about a possible social conflict as a consequence of the peace deal that requires amnesty and the acceptance of GAM members back into society.
"We demand both parties to comply with the peace pact and not consider it a ceremonial thing," said Andria Syah Putra, the secretary-general of Syiah Kuala University's student association.
Under the draft agreement, the government will provide economic compensation for GAM members who surrender their weapons.
Other key points of the peace pact include a greater autonomy status for Aceh to administer their political and economic affairs, and the withdrawal of reinforcement military troops and police officers.
In return, GAM will drop its independence demand.
Also on Sunday, chairman of the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) Pieter Feith from the Netherlands arrived in Banda Aceh. Accompanying him were several other monitors and British Ambassador to Indonesia Charles Humphrey.
Feith reiterated the team's commitment to conflict resolution in Aceh with full respect of Indonesia's territorial integrity.
"I would like to urge both parties to show maximum restraint, to desist from acts of violence, the use of force and cease all offensive operations," Feith said. "This will create a climate of confidence that will be the best way for starting the program of decommissioning and redeployment."