Warring sides in Aceh take steps to build trust and peace

Nani Farida and Ibnu Mat Noor, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

Discussions to coordinate the implementation of the cessation of hostilities agreement have begun between the Indonesian Military (TNI) and Free Aceh Movement (GAM), in order to build trust and attempt to impose peace in the war-torn province.

Hours after the signing in Geneva, both the field leaders of the TNI and GAM immediately ordered their troops to avoid any possible hostile action with each other and to withdraw from conflict areas.

TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto joined some 5,000 people of Aceh in Lhokseumawe on Tuesday in a thanksgiving prayer for the signing.

"GAM is no longer our enemy, they are our brothers. This signing is truly a blessing for the Acehnese people that have suffered for decades," Endriartono said after the prayer.

The speech was soon followed by direct orders for all TNI troops to maintain their defensive positions and end all offensive operations against GAM.

Separately, GAM spokesman Sofyan Dawood told The Jakarta Post that his troops were ready to stand down and return to their barracks, stacking their weapons at designated sites as demanded by the agreement.

"We are ready to abide by the agreement and recall our troops back to their barracks. We will stack our weapons as soon as we are able to confirm the agreement with the TNI," Sofyan said on Tuesday.

He vowed that GAM would not violate the agreement as long as the TNI proved that it would also abide by the peace deal and cease military operations against GAM in the province.

Aceh military spokesman Lt.Col.Firdaus Komarno said that most TNI troops around the province had been notified of the peace agreement.

"However, it may take longer in isolated areas to notify the troops, but we sent out the good news even hours before the deal was signed," Firdaus said.

The withdrawal of soldiers started on Tuesday, when 1,000 troops under Maj. Indra Nasution were withdrawn from GAM headquarters in Cot Trieng, North Aceh, which has been under military siege since Oct. 30.

GAM and Jakarta signed a peace agreement on Monday in Geneva, obligating the two sides to maintain defensive positions during a grace period for the next two months under the supervision of an international monitoring team.

The team, led by Thai officials and facilitated by the Henry Dunant Center (HDC), arrived in Banda Aceh on Tuesday morning to start its duties immediately.

The Associated Press reported that team leader Maj. Gen. Tanongsuk Tuvinun would be arriving in Banda Aceh on Dec. 17 to begin his duties.

After two months, GAM will stack their weapons at designated sites, while the TNI will withdraw their non-organic troops from the province.

Both efforts would be conducted gradually over a five-month period, after the grace period ends.

The agreement also requires both parties not to increase their military forces, and should rogue elements try to take advantage of the period, the TNI and GAM would conduct joint operations against them.

The police will also be able to investigate criminal activities in conjunction with the monitoring team.

Currently, there are approximately 24,000 TNI and police personnel in the province, including a new deployment of 3,000 soldiers last week. Only 10,000 of that number are organic troops.