Aceh Peace Agreement Leaves Indonesian Military in Place

A peace accord is signed between the Indonesian government and the Acehnese rebels. The deal disarms only one side, leaving the Indonesian military in place. We speak with award-winning journalist and activist Allan Nairn.

The Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement, or GAM, signed a peace agreement today in Helsinki that brings to a close nearly thirty years of armed conflict on the island. Under the deal, GAM will disarm and be allowed to form a recognized political party. However, that party will not be allowed to seek a referendum on Acehnese independence from Indonesia.

• Malik Mahmood, GAM chief negotiator

Journalist Allan Nairn who has long been covering Aceh and East Timor wrote on his blog today, “If [the Acehnese] continue to speak for referendum they will likely continue to die, but they may now get something for it, since the fog of two-sided combat will presumably no longer obscure the one-sided repression by [the Indonesian military].”
The Indonesian government hailed the agreement as a beacon of peace in Aceh.

• Hamid Aaluddin, Indonesian Justice Minister
• Allan Nairn, award-winning journalist and activist. His article on the Aceh peace agreement can be found at newsc.blogspot.com.

AMY GOODMAN: This is GAM chief negotiator Malik Mahmood.

MALIK MAHMOOD: We come to this day at the conclusion of six months of talks aimed at achieving a peace agreement for the future of Aceh. But more importantly, we come to this day after almost 30 years of GAM’s struggle for the liberation of the people of Aceh. We come to this day, after almost three decades of military violence and repressions against the people of Aceh. The people of Aceh have a long and proud tradition of resisting aggressions from outsiders, and we have a long and proud tradition of justice. His website newsc.blogspot.com.
Source: www.democracynow.org

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