Toward a lasting peace in the rebellions Aceh

Toward a lasting peace in the rebellions Aceh

Desra Percaya, New York

Following seven months of talks mediated by former Finnish
President Martti Ahtisaari, a memorandum of understanding (MoU)
was signed in Helsinki on Aug. 15 between the Government of
Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Few other troubled
areas of the world could have witnessed more joy than the towns
and cities of Aceh, where people have longed for the return of
peace and normalcy for too long. The signing of the agreement
points the way to a solution to the province's 30 years of
conflict.

The MoU has brought both opportunities and challenges. It is a
significant step toward peace that has no comparison in modern
Indonesia. To begin with, this accord is the first time that the
Indonesian government has ever concluded a peace accord with a
separatist movement. It is also significant that, as a sign of
good faith and seriousness, the government also agreed to an
international monitoring mission in Aceh, and to allow GAM to
establish a local political party in the province.

Learning from the failure of previous peace deals in Aceh, it
may be said that while the negotiation of an agreement is a
delicate process, the implementation of the agreement is far more
challenging. The devil is in the details of the agreement, and
both parties need to embark on serious follow-up. What is
certain, for now, is that a solid foundation has been laid for
the construction of peace in Aceh. Success -- that is, peace --
depends now on how well the two sides work together in compliance
with the provisions of the deal, particularly in cases where it
is violated.

It is worth observing that the road towards this agreement has
been quite bumpy. There were, for example, the proponents of the
militaristic approach in Jakarta, who failed to take account of
the long-term benefits of achieving peace through dialog. In the
end, however, they all ended up supporting the search for peace
in Aceh.

Indeed, the agreement serves the paramount interest of the
state, namely, maintaining the territorial integrity of the
Republic. As a result, it will also send out a message to the
nation that a demand for independence will not necessarily lead
to the creation of a new state. The government will, therefore,
be better able to channel its energies into development and the
unfinished reform agenda of democratization.

Certainly, the readiness of the government to accept
international monitors from three ASEAN countries and European
Union is an unprecedented phenomenon. Although some nationalists
have gripes about the overall deal, this brave decision by the
government should be praised and regarded as evidence of its
determination and genuine commitment to a peaceful settlement in
Aceh, and the maturity of democracy in Indonesia.

For GAM, it is understandable that as a loose separatist
movement whose leaders live in Stockholm, the movement lacks a
strong grip and solid influence over its followers in the field,
especially the armed elements. The fact that its leadership was
out of touch with reality in the field was a key factor in the
group's failure to successfully implement previous agreements.

It is therefore the responsibility of the leaders of the group
to show greater commitment and involvement, and convince their
followers in the field to fully implement the accord. Of
particular interest here is the need for the leadership to ensure
that the hard-liners do not stray from the terms of the accord.

While recognizing the importance of the agreement, one should
not lose sight of the fact that the transformation of GAM from an
armed separatist group into a political party will take some
time. This will be one of the biggest challenges for GAM's
leadership, which claims to be the sole representative of the
Acehnese and also maintains that it has their full support.

In the end, both parties to the agreement should accept the
challenge of the accord and commit to its sincere implementation.
In view of the fact that both leaderships speak on behalf of the
people, it is time to put the betterment of the lives of the
Acehnese at the very core of the issue.

The return of peace to Aceh would certainly contribute to the
recovery and rebuilding of the province after last year's
earthquake and tsunami disaster. The Acehnese need a long and
uninterrupted peace to forge their future.

In this regard, and with a view to offering the necessary
assurances to both sides and the people of Aceh, a meeting
between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and GAM leader Hasan
di Tiro would certainly boost confidence about the attainment of
lasting peace in the province.

Today, the path towards a lasting peace in Aceh has been
clearly marked out.

The writer works with the Indonesian Mission to the United
Nations, New York. The views expressed are his own and do not
necessarily reflect the position of the Government of Indonesia.
He can be reached at desrapercaya@hotmail.com.