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TITLE: 'National Commission' To Be Formed For Aceh |
AUTHOR: Yogi Arief Nugraha |
PUB: Detikworld |
DATE: January 15, 2001 |
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Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has confirmed that the Indonesian government is intent on broadening the scope of dialogue with representatives from Indonesia's troubled Aceh province. The President has given his approval for the formation of a national commission. "Indonesia has entered into a new format in handling Aceh, dialogue will be developed continuously," Yudhoyono told journalists at the Halim Perdanakusumah airport in Jakarta Monday (15/1/2001). He is to accompany President Abdurrahman `Gus Dur' Wahid on a short visit to Singapore. Previously, the government entered into a `humanitarian pause' agreement with separatist rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The pause ended today. The two parties agreed at talks in Switzerland last week to a tentative agreement to cease all military activities between January 15 and February 15. The government is clearly set on involving other parties as means to engage with other sections of Acehnese society and prevent the province breaking from the republic. On Monday, Yudhoyono said local government figures, students as well as Muslim, community and NGO leaders would be invited by the government to contribute to bringing peace to the troubled province where thousands have died in past decades. The government had decided on the new national commission format, he elaborated, after meeting with Acehnese representatives in Cisarua, Bogor, West Java. "I have already reported on that discussion to President Gus Dur and in principle the President has agreed to develop this idea first," he said. While involving other groups, the government is also taking a harder line with GAM. Several weeks ago, the Aceh police issued an order for the complete disarmament of civilians. The deadline for the voluntary surrender of weapons was also January 15. Commenting on the order, Yudhoyono said the people of Aceh should try and understand the government's position. "That order is not a form of offensive security operation, it's part of upholding the law, it prioritises persuasive measures and law enforcement," he said. Yudhoyono also said he had discussed the order with the President. "Last night I also reported to the President. I was accompanied by the Chief of Police and we spoke about it, that the implementation of the operation would not give rise to excesses within Acehnese society and would not disturb the comprehensive resolution of the Aceh problem," he said. On the first day of the tentative cease-fire agreement, the capital Banda Aceh was eerily calm. The people of Aceh have become used to random and operational violence at the hands of the security forces and are clearly waiting for future developments. Any attempt to disarm them has been rejected by GAM, unless the Indonesian security forces are also removed from the province. END |