Respite for Aceh

There never was a good war or a bad peace. Despite the incremental pace of negotiations, the positive mood at the conclusion of a second round talks in Helsinki between the government and representatives of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) should be welcomed by all.

People in tsunami-ravaged Aceh do not need politics. They are still focused on simply surviving and attempting to rebuild some semblance of a normal life.

Any formula that extends peace and defers open conflict in Aceh, even if only temporarily, is welcome.

A flicker of light now seems to be appearing at the end of the tunnel after decades of violence.

But we have been down this road before. Hopes have been shattered and promises broken. It is not surprising that the reaction at home to the talks so far has been guarded.

We fear that the flicker may not be the light at the end of the tunnel, but instead a speeding train come to smash the dreams of peace once again.

This is a delicate time in the negotiations. GAM has shown good faith in entertaining alternatives to independence, while Jakarta, to the anger of some, has displayed courage by sending a high-level delegation to the talks.

What is now needed is tact and quiet diplomacy. Senior Indonesian figures should refrain from summarily derogating the position of GAM in public. Critics must not inflame what has been a relatively cooperative mood.

There is still much to be worked out, therefore we should allow the elaborate wheels of diplomacy to proceed accordingly.

We understand that timetables and targets must be set to move the talks forward. However, unduly applying pressure at this early juncture, such as Vice President Jusuf Kalla suggesting on Thursday an agreement could be reached by the middle of the year, is unnecessary.

This initial sit-down phase of talks is probably the easiest part of the negotiations. The hard work is about to begin.

Defining a role for GAM within the context of the unitary state will require exhaustive exchanges, creativity and immense goodwill.

It is also important to remind both parties that the "real" stakeholders in peace in Aceh -- the Acehnese -- should, at some juncture, be actively brought into the process. They must not be treated as passive objects. Without the consent, support and participation of those who actually live in the province, any agreement reached will be in vain.

Regardless of the development of peace talks in Helsinki, we strongly believe there should also be a parallel review of the concept of autonomy in Aceh.

An egalitarian Indonesia, whether in Aceh or elsewhere, depends on the extent of freedom accorded to its people to determine their own path within the parameters of the unitary state.

While jurisdictional control is ceded to the regions, there are questions about whether the current body of laws regulating regional autonomy has truly succeeded in transferring power, not just authority, to the regions.

Without authentic recognition of the rights of regions to be autonomous, local discontent will continue to fester. Aceh is just one example of how such local discontent has evolved into a rebellion.

That, in essence, is the big question facing Jakarta. Is its peace initiative designed to resolve a perpetual headache in a far-off province, or does it truly have the well-being of the people there in mind? The central government needs to ensure that its offer truly has the good interests of the Acehnese in mind, and is not a means to score a diplomatic success.

Similarly, GAM needs to ask who and what they are fighting for when their own people are content simply to regain some normalcy in their lives.