Some hope out of the gloom in post-tsunami Aceh

The Nation, Asia News Network, Bangkok

While people around the world marvel at the goodwill demonstrated in the unprecedented effort to alleviate the effects of the destruction the Dec. 26 tsunami visited upon the coastal areas surrounding the Indian Ocean, Indonesia is enjoying its own window of opportunity. The government in Jakarta and the rebel Free Aceh Movement, based in the province that has seen the worst of the devastation caused by the tsunami, have indicated a mutual willingness to resume their peace talks, with the preliminary round scheduled to take place in Finland later this week.

Though it might sound callous, if the conditions created by the tsunami can increase the possibility of bringing to an end a long-running conflict that has claimed more than 10,000 lives over the past few decades, then all of Indonesia stands to benefit.

While scrimmages between the government and the rebel forces persist despite both the disaster and the upcoming talks, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has downplayed their significance. He has appeared to give credence to hopes that talks could actually get off the ground.

Another flicker of hope has been discerned in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country and the home of dozens of militant Islamic groups, although the country as a whole is predominantly moderate.

The radical Islamic group Laskar Mujahidin has set up camp close to hundreds of local and international volunteers at the military airport in Aceh's provincial capital, Banda Aceh.

This group represents the military wing of a much larger group, the Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia, which was once headed by Abu Bakar Bashir, who is currently on trial as the alleged leader of Jamaah Islamiyah, a Southeast Asian terrorist organization responsible for a series of deadly bomb attacks throughout the region in recent years.

Despite their reputation for orchestrating indiscriminate acts of violence, members of Laskar Mujahidin are now supporting efforts to collect corpses still buried beneath the debris in Aceh and to distribute food and medicine.

Representatives of the group have said that it would not interfere with the activities of foreign troops operating in the devastated province as long as they kept strictly to humanitarian operations -- not bad for a group that has consistently called for a holy war against the West.

Then again, a militant group insisting that it would not interfere in the activities of foreign and local troops carrying out a humanitarian mission in a time of crisis must not be misconstrued as a change in attitude. All sides have simply been wise enough to realize that on this occasion they have to show consideration to the victims.

Nevertheless, as has been pointed out by the International Crisis Group, hostilities are still being carried out, though in a different form. While stopping short of armed resistance, the Laskar Mujahidin has used the opportunity to stir up sentiment against the U.S. and Australian troops who are working around the clock to distribute food and essential aid to the restive province.

Nevertheless, in this trying time, the international community -- and Thailand in particular -- must stand side by side with the long-suffering people of Aceh.

President Susilo, noting that Indonesia faced criticism for its inability to protect humanitarian workers during the violence in East Timor, which resulted in the deaths of scores of foreign relief workers, has suggested it might be necessary to restrict the activities and movements of foreigners in restive Aceh.

While such concern is to be welcomed, Jakarta must also be willing to give peace a chance, particularly since it appears that, at least for now, its adversaries in the region are willing to do so.