Unfulfilled US$50m deal taints Aceh peace

Unfulfilled US$50m deal taints Aceh peace

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono disclosed on Thursday that the Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) once asked for US$50 million from the government
for a peace deal in war-torn Aceh.

"(Sofyan) Ibrahim Tiba, on behalf of GAM, through certain
individuals, asked me to compensate for the peace deal to help
GAM, if the conflict in the province is ended," Susilo said after
meeting Vice President Hamzah Haz at the latter's office.

He added that he turned down the request.

Sofyan is one of GAM's negotiators, who worked out the
Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA) with the government.
The peace deal was signed in Geneva, Switzerland, on Dec. 9,
2002.

Sofyan has denied asking the Indonesian government for the
peace fund, and claimed instead that certain individuals from the
minister's office offered him the compensation before both sides
reached an agreement.

"I met Susilo in Singapore last year, just before the signing
of the peace agreement. I asked him whether the government was
serious about the offer, and he said yes," Sofyan told The
Jakarta Post.

"I never asked for US$50 million in compensation; they offered
(it to) me. Three officials from Susilo's office made the offer
to me before the peace deal was signed," he said.

The question of the peace fund arose after a weekly magazine
published a report on the meeting between Sofyan and Coordinating
Minister for Social Welfare Jusuf Kalla to discuss the
compensation last month in Kuala Lumpur.

Susilo said that before meeting Jusuf, Sofyan had asked his
office to hand over the money, but he rejected the request for
reasons of accountability and transparency.

"I was aware of the meeting, but afterwards, there was no
additional clarification or details concerning the compensation.
Pak Jusuf told me by telephone that he returned to Jakarta and
decided to ignore the request," he said.