Paras Indonesia, February, 02 2006 @ 04:21 am
Difficulties Behind Nobel Intentions
By: Roy Tupai
The nomination of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for the 2006 Nobel Peace
Prize for seemingly ending decades of civil war in Aceh province is receiving
widespread support. But critics argue the proposal should be postponed until the
government can overcome separatist conflict in Papua province, end communal
violence in Central Sulawesi and bring troops to justice for crimes against humanity in
East Timor.
US Democratic congressman Robert Wexler last week nominated Yudhoyono for the
prestigious award, calling the former general a "campaigner for peace".
Wexler, a senior member of the House International Relations Committee and a
member of the House Judiciary Committee, said Yudhoyono deserved the award for
his "central role as peacemaker in resolving the Aceh conflict and unwavering
commitment to Indonesian democracy".
In his first year in office, Yudhoyono achieved a major breakthrough in the armed
conflict between state troops and the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM),
resulting in an August 2005 peace deal that for the time being has ended the deadly
conflict that plagued Aceh for almost 30 years. Few observers had expected the truce
would succeed.
In a letter to the Nobel Committee, Wexler said that although the people of Indonesia
have been forced to endure many hardships over the past year, such as the
December 2004 tsunami disaster and the outbreak of bird flu, Yudhoyono and his
government should be commended for remaining firmly committed to addressing the
country's political, economic and humanitarian needs.
"By focusing efforts on ending internal disputes, President Yudhoyono has enabled
his government to focus its energies and capabilities on serving the people of
Indonesia in times of crisis. President Yudhoyono's forward thinking and willingness to
take risks for peace reflects the spirit of the Nobel Prize's history," said the letter.
"In working to resolve the dispute in Aceh, President Yudhoyono simultaneously
worked towards many of the goals of the prize's selection committee. He helped
resolve an armed conflict through a negotiated agreement that incorporates both arms
control and disarmament. Furthermore, he has helped to restore to the citizens of the
province of Aceh their human and political rights for representation in governance," it
said.
"Yudhoyono has shown himself to be a true reformer and campaigner for peace, and
as such, it is my opinion that he is especially worthy of the Nobel Prize Committee's
consideration," concluded Wexler.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee is responsible for selecting the candidates and
choosing the winners for the Peace Prize. The committee will vote on this year's
winner in mid-October.
East Timor Pebble
The Nobel Peace Prize was first awarded in 1901. There was considerable outrage in
Indonesia in 1996 when it was jointly awarded to East Timorese independence
activists Bishop Carlos Belo and Jose Ramos-Horta "for their work towards a just and
peaceful solution to the conflict in East Timor".
Under the rule of ex-dictator Suharto, Indonesia in 1975 invaded the former
Portuguese colony of East Timor and began systematically oppressing the people. An
estimated one-third of the territory's population lost their lives due to starvation,
epidemics, war and terror. Following the fall of Suharto in 1998, Indonesia agreed to
allow the United Nations to hold an independence referendum in East Timor in 1999.
An overwhelming majority of East Timorese voted for freedom, but the plebiscite was
marred by a series of human rights abuses perpetrated by the Indonesian military and
its militia proxies.
To avert calls for an international tribunal, Indonesia subsequently established a
special human rights court that tried a handful of military, police, civilian and militia
officials over the carnage. There were a few convictions, but the guilty security officials
remained free pending appeal and later had their verdicts overturned. The only person
to remain sentenced by the court is former militia leader Eurico Guterres, who is yet
to be put behind bars.
Indonesia last year sought to defuse calls for justice by establishing a joint
Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF) with East Timor, which had achieved full
independence in 2002. But ties soured last month when East Timorese President
Xanana Gusmao presented the UN with a report that said Indonesia was responsible
for up to 180,000 deaths in East Timor during its 1975-1999 occupation.
In response to the report, Indonesia's members of the CTF called off a visit to East
Timor, while Yudhoyono's office indefinitely postponed a meeting with Gusmao.
Papua & Central Sulawesi
Rights activists say that if Yudhoyono is to truly take on the mantle of peacemaker,
he must find a lasting solution to conflict in resource-rich but underdeveloped Papua,
where there has been a sporadic rebellion since Indonesia took over the territory from
the Dutch in the 1960s.
The province has been back under the spotlight after 43 Papuan asylum seekers last
month arrived in Australia and accused the Indonesian military of using the same
brutal tactics it employed during the occupation of East Timor.
Also last month, US-based gold and copper mining giant Freeport came under
pressure over its payments of millions of dollars of protection money to Indonesian
security forces tasked to guard the firm's vast Grasberg mine in Papua.
A report by The Financial Times says that despite the government's success in Aceh,
it is likely to be far more difficult to resolve the Papua issue. "It's the single most
sensitive issue on the political agenda," Sidney Jones of the International Crisis Group
was quoted as saying.
She said the problem with Papua is the absence of a negotiating partner, as the
separatist Free Papua Organization is small, divided and controls no territory.
Yudhoyono's supporters say his plan to appoint Air Force chief Djoko Suyanto as the
next commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) should help to reform the
military in Papua.
Suyanto has emphasized that TNI's function is to defend the country. "It does not
have a political function. We will continue to have internal reforms," he told a hearing
of legislators assessing his capability for the job.
In addition to the problems in Papua, the government had also been criticized for
failing to end sporadic communal violence and terror attacks in Central Sulawesi.
Analysts have suggested that much of the unrest is linked to local political and
military corruption.
Support For Nobel Nomination
Presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng said Yudhoyono's office was pleased by
the Nobel Peace Prize nomination. "The government's aim in carrying out its duties is
not for the Nobel or other awards. But if there is appreciation, we will be glad," he was
quoted as saying by state news agency Antara.
Bishop Belo on Wednesday (1/2/06) said the people of Indonesia and East Timor
could take pride if Yudhoyono wins the award. "I sincerely support the nomination for
the Indonesian state leader," he said.
Hasballah Saad, a former minister for human rights in the administration of
ex-president Abdurrahman Wahid, said Yudhoyono deserves the award for bringing
peace to Aceh.
Some of the president's political opponents have said he is not worthy of the prize
because of the government's failure to significantly improve education and the
economy.
Saad, who was born in Aceh, said such criticism is unfounded because the award is
for peace. "Therefore, I think President Yudhoyono deserves the Nobel Peace Prize
because as a policymaker dealing with the Aceh conflict, he has been successful in
making a dramatic change in the province."
Political observer Professor Saroso Hamongpranoto, who lectures at East
Kalimantan's Mulawarman University, said the nomination would boost Indonesia's
international image. "Internationally, it will be beneficial, as we are accustomed to
being known for our bad image," he was quoted as saying by Antara.
He also said the award could also have a positive "snowball effect" by motivating all
provincial governors to become more active in maintaining peace. "Let's say, Poso,
Ambon, Papua and Aceh. These governors might be motivated to be more active in
bringing back peace in their regions, and later all regents and mayors will also do the
same thing," he added.
Hamongpranoto rejected speculation that there was a hidden motive behind America's
nomination of Yudhoyono. "We should be honest with ourselves. For decades, it is
only during the Yudhoyono administration that several serious problems could be
settled, including the Aceh case," he said.
Fellow political analyst Effendy Ghazali, from Jakarta's University of Indonesia, said it
was fair to nominate Yudhoyono for the award for ending the Aceh rebellion and
combating the devastation caused by the tsunami.
But he pointed out that the government has not yet resolved several important cases,
such as the murder of human rights crusader Munir and the embezzlement of central
bank funds. Nevertheless, he added, such issues were irrelevant to criteria for the
Peace Prize.
Rights activists disagree, arguing that Yudhoyono's unwillingness to unmask the
masterminds behind Munir's murder indicates an inconsistency in his commitment to
upholding peace and justice.
Ghazali said if Yudhoyono is selected for the award, he should share it with former
Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, who mediated a series of talks that led to the Aceh
peace deal.
He further pointed out that Vice President Jusuf Kalla had played a much greater role
than Yudhoyono in resolving the conflict. But as Kalla's superior, it is only fitting that
Yudhoyono receive the nomination, he added.
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