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'The Coalition firmly rejects the realisation of this new Acheh dialogue by PEMDA, "because it doesn't include in its agenda the most important issue of the Acheh conflict, which is the question of territorial independence.'
'We reject the consideration that this new Acheh dialogue as proposed by PEMDA-Acheh could resolve the Acheh conflict. We call on all the civil elements of the people of Acheh, such as the ulamas, NGOs, community and student leaders, not to attend this futile forum", concludes the statement.'
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 n a related development, IFA also learned that the Governor of Acheh, Abdullah Puteh, has voiced his intention to scrap the proposed dialogue, because, he says, the Free Acheh Movement (GAM), "no longer wants to have a dialogue with the Indonesian government".
Ms. Arabiayani of FPDRA (Achenese People's Struggle Front for Democracy, an NGO formed and chaired by Kautsar Abu Yus who is currently in detention for
"formenting hatred against the Indonesian government"), acting as spokesperson of the Coalition says that the Coalition considers the participants invited by PEMDA to the dialogue as not representative of the Achenese people, because they consist mainly of PEMDA officials and members of the DPRD (local legislative assembly). Ms. Arabiyani issued the statement on October 28 at the office of the LBH (Indonesian Legal Aid Bureau) in Banda Acheh.
According to Ms. Arabiyani, the Coalition firmly rejects the realisation of this new Acheh dialogue by PEMDA, "because it doesn't include in its agenda the most important issue of the Acheh conflict, which is the question of territorial independence. To create a new Acheh through dialogues, the entire people of Acheh, including GAM, must be represented. PEMDA has not considered these two matters at all, says Arabiyani in a written statement co-signed by all the 14 NGOs of the Coalition.
The 14 NGOs: SIRA, KSO-FPDRA, FARMIDIA, SMAK, LAMPUAN, KARMA BEMA-IAIN, SPURA, KAGEMPAR, SMIPA, KPP-SMUR, FORUM KUTA RAJA, JEUMPA MIRAH and BANPERA state that in principle they are agreable with the dialogue process as pursued by PEMDA because that is the best way to solve the Acheh conflict. But the participants to such a dialogue must represent the entire people of Acheh, including GAM, and the representatives of the government of the Republic of Indonesia, as parties of the Acheh conflict.
"I think dialogue is the best way to proceed in the process of finding a solution to the conflict in Acheh, as aslo has been agreed to by both parties in their Geneva accord. The two warring sides, the Free Acheh Movement and the Government of the Republic of Indonesia must sit at the same table to iron out their long-drawn differences that have produced such a heavy suffering for the people of Acheh. But such a dialogue must include the entire people of Acheh, as the injured side of the conflict. How is it possible to conduct a dialogue without participation of the people of Acheh and GAM?", Arabiyani wonders.
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She furthers adds that "It will be futile for PEMDA who wants to create an new Acheh which is peaceful, but one side of the warring parties, GAM, is not included in the proposed dialogue. Such a meeting will be in vain and a waste of public finds, that could be better utilised to attenuate the sufferings of the people" .
This Coalition of 14 NGOs then expresses its appreciation of the good intention on the part of PEMDA to work for a quick ending of the conflict in Acheh. "However", says the statement, "even if it feels that it has a formula that could be used to resolve the conflict, PEMDA should be a bit wiser and able to restraint itself, because in accordance with the last Geneva agreement betweem GAM and RI, the Acheh conflict would be solved through peaceful dialogues between the warring parties. "Consequently", says the statement, "we reject the consideration that this new Acheh dialogue as proposed by PEMDA-Acheh could resolve the Acheh conflict. We call on all the civil elements of the people of Acheh, such as the ulamas, NGOs, community and student leaders, not to attend this futile forum", concludes the statement.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the Governor of Acheh, Abdullah Puteh, says in Jakarta that the proposed "All Inclusive Dialogue", between the government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Free Acheh Movement (GAM), as
well as the entire components of the people of Acheh, may be cancelled. "We haven't decided on this but there is a possibility that we are not going to do it", he says in Jakarta where he is attendiang a National Development Coordination Meeting (29/10).
Accordiang to Abdullah Puteh, the cancellation is because GAM does not want to have a dialogue with the Indonesian government. "GAM is hoping that its dialogue with the GOI to be with the central government and not with the provincial government. It is also hoping for the dialogue to take place abroad, such as in Geneva, and not in Acheh", he says.
"Today GAM does not want to have a dialogue, so we do not proceed. W are not forcing the dialogue on anyone," he says.
As replacement for the dialogue there will be a provincial Development Coordination Meeting that will be conducted for 3 days starting from November 9 and will be opened by Vice President Hamzah Haz.
"Dialogues that we are conducting are not always about politics but they could be about how to manage the refugees, how to rebuild the burnt down houses," he says.
Abdullah Puteh says that the All Inclusive Dialogue was proposed because he wants to be consistent with the decision of the Geneva accord between GAM and GOI that there should be peace dialogues between the two sides that include all the components of the Acheh civil society. (ifa)
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