Aceh Peace Talks Begin

13/04/2005| IslamWeb

Aceh representatives and an Indonesian government delegation have met to start the third round of peace talks aimed at bringing lasting peace to the province.

The two sides met separately the mediator, former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, and each other later on Tuesday.

Acehs leaders said before the talks they would demand Indonesian troops cease all anti-insurgency operations in Aceh before discussing a solution for self-government.

Free Aceh Movement, known locally as GAM, also demanded the release of four of their negotiators who were arrested by Indonesian authorities two years ago - despite a government guarantee of safe-conduct.

In January, the two sides met face-to-face for the first time since the peace process collapsed in 2003, when the Indonesian military launched a major offensive against Aceh figthters in the oil-rich region that has killed about 3000 people.

A second round of talks was held late on February. Indonesia's vice-president has predicted an agreement could be reached by July on the basis of the so-called special autonomy law which the government in Jakarta adopted three years ago, but never implemented.

Human rights groups have accused government troops of executions, torture and rape of civilians in Aceh. They say most of those killed since the ceasefire collapsed have been unarmed villagers caught up in army operations.

The war in Aceh, one of the world's longest-running conflicts, has its roots in the occupation of the independent Aceh sultanate by Dutch colonialists in 1870.

PHOTO CAPTION

Free Aceh Movement (GAM) chief negotiator, Health and Foreign Minister Zaini Abdullah (R), and Prime Minister Malik Mahmud leave their hotel in Espoo, Koningstedt, outside Helsinki. (AFP)