Peace in Aceh

Peace in Aceh

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It took three presidents and required the peacemaking skills of a
vice president to put an end to three decades of bloodshed in
Aceh when the government of Indonesia and separatist rebels in
the province inked a truce.

The accord appears to have satisfied both parties, compared to
previous agreements which were proven to be short-lived, as it
requires the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to renounce its long-held
demand for full independence in exchange for political and
economic privileges for the province.

Indonesian Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid
Awaluddin signed the agreement with Malik Mahmud, the self-styled
prime minister of the exiled GAM leadership in Sweden, in the
Finnish capital Helsinki, after seven months of painstaking
negotiations initiated by Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

Military and civilian officials from the European Union and
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are to monitor the
implementation of the deal, which includes an amnesty for GAM
political prisoners, creation of political parties in the
province, withdrawal of non-local security forces and the
formation of a human rights court and a truth and reconciliation
commission.

"We've come to this day after years of military violence
against the people of Aceh. This is the beginning of the process
of justice for the Aceh people," Mahmud said in his speech.

Mahmud, who spoke in English, also raised concerns about the
past record of the Indonesia Military (TNI) as well as the
government's commitment to implementing the peace agreement.

Both parties had signed peace accords under former presidents
Abdurrahman Wahid in 2000 and Megawati Soekarnoputri in 2002.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Jusuf Kalla and House of
Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono witnessed the televised
accord signing through a big screen set up at the Merdeka Palace
in Central Jakarta.

"Indonesians, including my brothers in Aceh, let us appreciate
the significant event as something that we should be proud of,"
Susilo said after the signing.

Wearing a long-sleeved batik shirt, the President was seen
smiling several times but also paid full attention when Hamid and
Mahmud inked the agreement.

Susilo shook his head and clasped his hands tightly when the
GAM leader presented his speech.

Nobody in the palace clapped for Mahmud, in contrast to the
big applause given to Hamid when he finished his acceptance
speech.

In a prepared speech, Hamid expected both sides to look
forward to develop a better Aceh.

A video conference linkup to allow the President to speak to
the delegates in Helsinki, including the GAM leadership, failed
due to technical problems.

"Could they hear me?" the President asked Coordinating
Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adi
Sucipto and Hamid, who were told to explain the agreement to the
Indonesian people.

Susilo also thanked former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari
and his Crisis Management Initiative (CMI), the government of
Finland, the European Union and ASEAN and "our brothers and
sisters who were previously grouped under GAM" for their efforts
and commitment to permanently end the conflict in Aceh.

"All parties need to work hard and sincerely in a bid to build
a better, more peaceful, fairer and more democratic condition in
Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam," he said.

Both sides had been cautiously optimistic that the agreement
would open the way for lasting peace, a hope lent renewed urgency
after the Dec. 26 tsunami which hit Aceh especially hard, killing
at least 130,000 people.

Pursuant to the peace deal, foreign monitors under the Aceh
Monitoring Mission will deploy 80 of its 200 personnel to plan
and prepare for the start of the monitoring task between Aug. 15
and Sept. 14. During their initial presence, the unarmed foreign
monitors will make local contacts and familiarize themselves with
conditions in Aceh before their mission swings into a full gear
on Sept. 15.

Monitors will not take on a facilitation or negotiation role.
They will conduct their task by communicating with both parties
and by carrying out inspections and investigations as required.