The Jakarta Post, March 06, 2003
Signatories ignoring spirit of Aceh peace agreement
Otto Syamsuddin Ishak, Civil Society Alliance for Democracy (Yappika), Jakarta
Many observers of the Aceh conflict have said that the political status of the peace
pact between the Republic of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) is so
vulnerable that peace will soon be consigned to the dustbin again.
Some suggest the pact is prone to collapse because it was facilitated by an
international non-governmental organization and also because it was a mistake to
place the Republic on the same level as GAM.
But why should Indonesia reject outside mediation in respect of a vertical conflict that
has been going on for many years, a conflict that has led to growing Acehnese
ethno-nationalism, particularly among those whose parents have fallen victim to this
conflict? Aren't the Republic and the mediating foreign entity mere political entities
created by humans?
The status of the mediating body, the Geneva-based Henry Dunant Center, has been
strengthened since its first involvement in attempting to resolve the conflict in 2000.
The participation of the "four wise men" reflects the informal political involvement of
four countries. The presence of foreign military officers on the Joint Security
Commission (JSC) emphasizes the political empathy that foreign countries have for
the Aceh issue.
The international community has also provided loans and financial aid for humanitarian
purposes in Aceh.
There has been progress in the cessation of hostilities as reflected by several
indicators. First, the JSC, made up of 50 foreign military officers, 50 military officers of
the Republic and 50 GAM officers, is now up and running.
Second, armed contacts have fallen sharply following a decline in combat operations,
hence the number of Acehnese victims has also declined. There are surely still
victims as a result of intensive intelligence-gathering and military operations. However,
even these operations have begun to be somewhat better controlled.
Third, crimes against humanity have also decreased. However, ordinary crimes have
risen considerably due to the presence of some 50,000 Indonesian soldiers and
thousands of GAM guerrillas.
Fourth, zones of peace have been established.
Fifth, a decision has been reached about who will be considered as violating the pact
and how such violations are to be gauged.
But it becomes a problem when the parties concerned forget the spirit of the pact that
they themselves signed. It was agreed that the pact was intended "to fulfill the
aspirations of the Acehnese to live in peace and security, and with dignity and just
prosperity." This ambition can be realized only if the parties concerned stop their
hostilities.
However, the Indonesian government has interpreted the hostility cessation period as
the beginning of Aceh's renewed integration into the Unitary Republic, while GAM has
taken it to mean a prelude to Aceh's independence. Meanwhile, Acehnese civilians
want to see a referendum on self-determination.
Indeed, the pact says nothing about a ban on campaigning for special autonomy or for
independence. The parties, however, should assume a mature political attitude in
considering which steps will support the transformation of the conflict from its current
violent nature, and which steps would cause the conflict to reignite.
Ignoring or forgetting the spirit of the pact will surely only lead to interpretations based
on the two sides respective political orientations as to the future. Important matters
will be unilaterally defined as these relate to the other side. One party will campaign
for the other party to lay down its arms and surrender its weapons. Instead of
observing the spirit of the pact and their obligations, the parties are instead redefining
their opponent's obligations.
The parties also try to justify their violations of the pact including those perpetrated by
their own soldiers. The Indonesian Military commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto and
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar bristled in reaction to the recent
announcement by the JSC regarding five cases of violation.
First, they said that the JSC had to be professional, yet 50 Indonesian military officers
are members of this commission. People might then believe that the JSC decision
was made without their participation. Any party unsatisfied with the JSC decision
should consult their own representatives on the JSC. They must not complain to the
JSC, nor even to the Henry Dunant Center.
Second, the JSC is said to be incapable of differentiating a breach of the pact and the
role of police as law enforcers. Gen. Endriartono refered to one of the violations of the
peace pact according to the JSC, the shooting of one person in East Aceh. He
questioned whether the shooting of this person on the grounds that he resisted could
be categorized as a breach of the pact, while the victim was on the list of wanted
people.
If the police have not made such a list public, how would anyone know he was
wanted?
Third, the government wants the HDC to find out how many weapons GAM
possesses, while actually the weapons stores have two keys, accessible only to
GAM and the HDC.
Fourth, the widening of hostilities is condoned despite efforts to build up mutual
confidence. The latest examples involve acts of blockade, terror, shooting and the
arrest of civilians. Yet, the mobilizing of mobs in the interests of each side's
propaganda effort is allowed to go on.
Such attitudes have not only affected civilians. The parties have violated one of the
pact's key points, namely that "The two parties will allow civilians to express
themselves without hampering their democratic rights."
An attitude expressing hostility to civilians violates the spirit of the pact. The parties
should take into account the strength of Acehnese civilians, who in the past have
been very successful in mobilizing themselves for mass strikes, a boycott of the 1999
election, and support for a referendum.
In line with the future phase of all-inclusive dialogs -- and also the next 2004 elections
-- the parties concerned should now vie witth each other to steer developments in Aceh
towards lasting peace.
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