Group seeks long-term solution to Aceh crisis

The Kuala Lumpur-based Asean Muslim Youth Secretariat (Amsec) will help form a council to formulate a blueprint for a long-term solution to the conflict in Aceh.

Its chairperson Mahfuz Omar said today the council will comprise intellectuals and religious scholars representing the Acehnese people, Indonesian government and countries in the region.

He added that the Indonesian government has pledge to cooperate in any move which could help resolve its friction with the Free Aceh Movement or Gerakan Aceh Merdeka (GAM) in a peaceful manner.

Mahfuz, who is also PAS Youth chief, told malaysiakini the assurance was given by the republic's deputy president Hamzah Haz.

Amsec met with Hamzah in Jakarta o­n Monday and submitted a memorandum calling for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

"Hamzah was receptive of the efforts to bring both parties back to the negotiation table and will not hesitate to give his cooperation so that peace can be restored in Aceh," he said.

Mahfuz added that the secretariat intends to arrange for a meeting between the intellectuals and ulamas (religious scholars) in late June.

"The meeting will help form the Aceh Consultative Council which could be the best platform to end the military conflict in the province and formulate a blueprint for a long-term resolution," he said.

Although the secretariat has yet to directly communicate with GAM representatives, Mahfuz said he is confident that the separatist group would also be receptive to efforts aimed at restoring peace.

Indonesian president Megawati Sukarnoputri recently signed a decree imposing martial law in the province after peace talks with GAM broke down in Tokyo.

She also gave the green light to the Indonesian army to engage the separatist rebels after they failed to heed her call to disarm.

The Malaysian government is among others to have expressed hope for a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

Meanwhile, Mahfuz claimed that Amsec's efforts are supported by many Islamic non-government organisations and political parties which Amsec members met during their three-day visit to Jakarta.

Relating the 30-minute meeting with Hamzah, he said among the topics of discussion was the Indonesian government's willingness to provide amnesty to GAM leaders if they withdraw their quest for independence.

"Hamzah said the government hopes that GAM would reconsider the offer that was made in Japan (which is) to provide autonomic power to Aceh to the extent that they are allowed to establish an Islamic state.

"If this happens, the government was willing to grant pardon and there will be no more arrests of GAM leaders," he said.

Amsec also expressed its view to the deputy president that the military action in Aceh has strayed from the original intention of ending GAM's activities since the civilian death toll is alarming.

Mahfuz said he told Hamzah that the military action would o­nly increase the anger of GAM leaders and the Acehnese people.

"We also told them that there is no guarantee that the inhumane acts of military personnel as happened during the (former president) Suharto regime would not repeat. The fact that there is no independent monitoring makes it suspicious," he said.

He added that Amsec is also seeking for an independent inquiry into war crimes committed by the military under the Suharto regime which caused great trauma to the Acehnese.

"If the government is sincere for peace, they should also give the assurance that war criminals will be punished so that the victims and their families are given the justice due to them," he said.

Mahfuz added that Amsec had repeated similar concerns to the Indonesian Parliament Deputy Speaker AM Fatwa whom they had also met.

"Amsec urged him to moot for a special session to nullify the resolution which allowed for martial law in Aceh," he said.

In their seven-page memorandum, Amsec urged GAM to withdraw its quest for independence and accept the government's earlier offer which would allow them to establish an Islamic state in the province.

"GAM's main struggle is for the formation of an Islamic state. Even though they do not have absolute independence, they would be able to establish an Islamic state that could be a model Islamic state in the region.

"I feel this would be greater because it would mean independence for the Muslims in the province," said Mahfuz.