Talks with GAM again?

Minister of Defense Mahfud MD announced on June 15, 2001 that Indonesia would send Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Agum Gumelar to peace talks between the government and separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Geneva (The Jakarta Post, June 16, 2001).

In my opinion, this is a wrong step and the only result will be to boost the morale of GAM, which is now in a difficult military position. This is due to the military action conducted by the combined forces of the police and the military (TNI), as well as the increasing support of the population for the security forces. Even now GAM is becoming increasingly brutal and very aggressive and destructive, causing human and material losses to TNI and the police, and the people at large.

For TNI this kind of settlement of a rebellion through negotiation is actually unacceptable, because they are not used to it. The policy of previous governments was clear and tough, as there was no compromise with violators of the law.

Public opinion at present is that the government lacks the courage to act in accordance with the constitution, even when the President has stated clearly that he will spare no effort in defending the Constitution and maintaining national unity, even if it costs him his life (what if it costs him his presidency?).

Slowing down the military operation by restarting talks will create a suspicion that there is some ulterior motive, especially when we take into consideration the political situation and the effort by the President to create an atmosphere conducive to his plan to stay in place until 2004. If the President is serious in defending the 1945 Constitution, then he should order the army or police to arrest those people who want to become independent and to separate from the unitary republic of Indonesia.

I hope the government stops these talks because after so many talks, moratoriums and establishment of peace zones, no improvement has yet been achieved. Fortunately, military operations to establish law and order have begun to show some success. If the government insists on continuing talks, don't send a foreign ministry official, but one from the Ministry of Home Affairs, because GAM is an internal matter. Better still if we send a military officer to lead the team. This is to show to the GAM that the talks are not between two equal political entities, but a government and an internal rebel group.

The government should pay more attention to the fate of the nation as a whole rather than the interests of political parties, let alone ambitious politicians.

SOEGIH ARTO

Jakarta