Jakarta, Aceh rebels set to sign accord

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, MAY 12. The Indonesian President, Mr. Abdurrahman Wahid, said in Jakarta today that an agreement on the cards between his Government and the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM in local parlance) would not confer any status on the rebel group as a representative of a potential sovereign territory.

The memorandum of understanding, scheduled for signature at a venue in Geneva later in the day, was described by the President as a ``humanitarian document''.

The GAM activists and other radical Islamist rebels have been fighting for the secession of the resources-rich Aceh from the Muslim-majority Indonesia in a context dominated by accusations of human rights violations by Jakarta's armed forces in that province. The progress towards an accord was made possible by informal contacts between the two sides in recent months. Although the document might not contain a specific provision for a ceasefire, the President expressed the hope that the ``humanitarian'' complexion of the accord would be significant. He claimed ``executive prerogative'' for seeking to sign the MoU in Geneva rather than in Indonesia.

Mr. Wahid made it clear that there would be no recognition of either the GAM as a juridical entity or Aceh as a territory with prospective attributes of sovereignty.

While he did not want to lower guard against a possible domino effect of the recognition of separatist sentiments in Aceh, the President said the MoU, being facilitated by some external help too, was so drafted as to serve as a breakthrough for restoring peace in Aceh.

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Section  : International
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