Susilo orders troops in Aceh to back off
Susilo orders troops in Aceh to back off
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered the Indonesian
Military (TNI) to stop its offensive against Aceh rebels in a bid
to facilitate the signing of peace deal scheduled for Aug. 15 in
Jakarta.
The order came after a series of clashes in the province as
the Indonesian government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist
negotiators inked a draft peace agreement in Helsinki on Sunday.
At least five rebels, four TNI soldiers and two civilians have
been killed since then, according to GAM. The TNI says there have
only been two clashes, in which four separatists and one soldier
died and two were wounded.
"The President has asked TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
not to launch any more offensives against the separatists for the
sake of the peace deal," Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi said
after a Cabinet meting on Wednesday.
Minister of Communications and Information Sofyan A. Djalil,
one of the government's negotiators, said the President also
asked the TNI leadership to disseminate points in the peace deal
to soldiers in the field.
"The President made it very clear in the meeting that the TNI
must take a defensive posture in case of attacks by GAM fighters.
There is a possibility that they (soldiers) will remain in their
barracks in the meantime," he said.
Negotiators from both camps on Sunday concluded their fifth
round of talks with a draft deal that could end decades of armed
conflict in the province. The peace deal stipulates, among
others, the withdrawal of reinforcement troops from Aceh and the
surrender of GAM weapons. The government is also considering
allowing GAM to form its own political party would be able to
contest local elections in 2009.
Sofyan said with the completion of the draft, the government
would soon meet with the House of Representatives to discuss the
points agreed to in the draft, as most would probably require
amendments to existing laws to take effect.
"As demanded by GAM, the government cannot disclose the
details of the draft to the public yet, not until the MOU is
signed, because they will need time to discuss the draft with
their fighters in Aceh," he said.
Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and
Security Affairs Widodo Adi Sucipto said there were several
articles in the draft that would accommodate any dispute arising
from the deal.
"In case there are certain people who disagree with points in
the peace deal and eventually cause disputes, there are clauses
in the draft that allows the government and GAM to settle them
peacefully," he said.
Several legislators have opposed the deal, especially in
relation to the government's decision to accommodate GAM's demand
to establish a local political party in the province.
The House may present an obstacle in passing amendments to
laws that would recognize the existence of locally based
political parties.
Key points of peace deal
* The Indonesian government will grant an amnesty to GAM members
after the signing of a peace agreement. The amnesty will restore
the political, economic and social rights of GAM members.
* GAM agrees to surrender their weapons, as well as gathering and
destroying them. But the demilitarization process would take
place in line with the withdrawal of non-organic TNI soldiers and
National Police from Aceh. All the processes should start on
Sept. 15 and be complete on Sept. 31.
* The government and GAM should review the relationship between
the central government with the local administration in Aceh
under existing laws.
* Political and social rights of GAM members should be ensured
after the amnesty is granted.
* In the economic sector, Aceh will apply an "open" economy for
the welfare of its people.
* Both parties agree to involve countries from the European Union
and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to monitor the
implementation of the peace deal.
Source: Indonesian negotiator Minister of Justice and Human
Rights Hamid Awaluddin.