National

Government and GAM Agree Not to Expose Problems to Press
Tuesday, 23 August, 2005 | 13:46 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Banda Aceh:The peace monitoring team in Aceh, the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM), held the first meeting between representatives of the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on Monday (8/22).

The meeting was held at the residence of the Aceh governor and was aimed at assimilating the perceptions of those implementing the agreement in the field.

Peter Faith, chairman of the AMM team, said that both parties have agreed not to speak to the mass media if they found problems in the implementation of the peace agreement.

“Unless the problems have already been settled,” said Faith after the meeting.

The AMM chairman said that technical matters regarding the implementation of the agreement had not yet been discussed at the meeting.

Faith added that he had requested the armed forces of both parties to act professionally, restrain themselves from any acts of hostility and respect their former foes.

“We also requested GAM leaders to maintain control of their members in the field in order to prevent any provocation,” he stated.

The Indonesian Government was represented at the meeting by Minister for Information and Communication Sofyan Djalil, the caretaker Aceh governor Azwar Abubakar, the Iskandar Muda military Commander Maj. Gen. Supiadin AS and the Aceh Chief of Police Bachrumsyah Kasman.

GAM was only represented by Irwandi Yusuf, who had been convicted to seven years’ imprisonment after being declared a GAM propagandist, although four GAM members should have attended the meeting.

However, Irwandi declined to comment on the absence of his three colleagues.

According to Maj. Gen. Supiadin AS, the three other GAM members were absent due to difficulties in transportation. “Some GAM members have left from Malaysia, but they are yet to arrive here,” said Supiadin.

Talking to reporters following the 1.5 hour meeting, Irwandi said that GAM was prepared to carry out everything that was in the agreement signed in Helsinki.

“We will also hand over 840 weapons based in line with the content of the agreement,” he stated.

However, according to Irwandi, the meeting did not discuss the technicalities of handing over the weapons.
(Yuswardi A. Suud-Tempo News Room)