RI to discuss Aceh mission mandate

RI to discuss Aceh mission mandate

Ivy Susanti, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Indonesia will discuss the mandate and mechanisms of an Aceh
Monitoring Mission (AMM) with the European Union and the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during a two-day
meeting here beginning on Monday.

Foreign ministry spokesman Yuri Oktavian Thamrin said the
foreign mission would supervise the disarmament of separatist
rebels and the Indonesian Military (TNI)'s withdrawal from
Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

He also said the foreign mission should consist mainly of
civilians, with some military members allowed as advisers.

"The Aceh Monitoring Mission is not a peacekeeping force or a
military deployment. As the minister has already stated, the
mission will help build trust and confidence that Indonesia is
honoring the peace agreement that will be signed on Aug. 15," he
said.

The European Union has agreed to send 200 observers to Aceh.
Indonesia has also invited five ASEAN countries -- Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei -- to join the
monitoring mission.

Yuri said all five countries had indicated their intention to
send observers to Aceh.

He said the Ministry of Communications and Information would
manage the mission.

"The foreign affairs ministry will contribute its expertise
and experience in monitoring missions and peacekeeping
operations. We will support the ministry (of communications and
information)," he said.

The foreign monitors will remain in Aceh for six months, with
the possibility of the mission being extended an additional six
months. They could start moving into place as early as Aug. 16,
the day after the peace agreement is scheduled to be formalized
by the two sides.

Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed a draft
peace deal in a meeting in Helsinki on July 17.

According to the draft agreement, Indonesia will reduce its
military and police presence in Aceh, and the rebels will turn in
their weapons.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said this initial
process would take three months, starting in September.

GAM representatives said on Friday the group would begin
laying down their weapons as soon as Indonesian troops started
withdrawing from the province.

Sofyan Dawood, a spokesman for GAM, also dismissed suggestions
by the Indonesian Military that there was disagreement within GAM
over the peace deal.

As part of the deal, the rebels gave up their demand for
independence in return for some form of political representation
in Aceh.

On Thursday, Indonesian Military chief Gen. Endriartono
Sutarto said his troops would refrain from combat in Aceh and
would begin withdrawing by mid-September. The government also
announced an amnesty program, with 2,053 rebels convicted of
subversion scheduled to be released from prison on Aug. 30.

"We are ready to hand over our weapons as the Indonesian
Military begins reducing its troop numbers," Dawood was quoted by
AP as saying on Friday. "We will abide by the Helsinki peace
accord."