Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Helsinki (Fides Service) - Representatives of the Indonesian government and separatist rebels from the province of Aceh, Sumatra are meeting in Helsinki, Finland to establish a set of shared principles on which to elaborate negotiations for peace. On the eve of the meeting Free Aceh Merdeka GAM said it would drop its claim for a separate state and accept the basic demands put forward by Jakarta..
GAM spokesman Bachtiar Abdullah said the people of Aceh agree on this point which up to now was a major obstacle to peace. In a statement the rebels say “the only way to reach lasting and total peace is a negotiated agreement which gives the people of Aceh the right and capacity to decide on their own affairs within the Republic of Indonesia”. But GAM asks to be recognised as a political party in the province. On this point the talks stalled despite a sincere will to reach a pre-agreement. Indonesian delegates say that in Indonesian law for a party to be recognised it must have representatives from a least half of Indoneisa’s 32 regions, but GAM is only a local movement.
The movement is asking for political representation and greater economic wellbeing.
In thirty years of conflict in Aceh at least 15,000, mainly civilians, have been killed. Two years ago the government sent the army to suppress the rebellion. Aceh, which has a population of 4 million, was one of the areas most affected by the tsunami last December 26.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 14/07/2005 Righe: 25 Parole: 255)
