Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Reintegration of Former GAM Members into Society Remains Difficult: Ahtasaari
Source: Antara News

Banda Aceh (ANTARA News) - Although the peace process in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) province based on the Helsinki peace agreement between the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) is generally running well, the reintegration of former GAM members into the local civilian society is not happening as smoothly as expected, former Aceh peace facilitator Martti Ahtasaari said.

"I think the reintegration process remains a heavy task for all of us because it still needs several more years," Ahtasaari who is also a former president of Finland said here on Tuesday.

Therefore, Ahtasaari said he would discuss a number of items related with the reintegration process provided for in the Helsinki peace agreement with Jakarta.

Ahtasaari who is now director of the Crisis Management Initiative (CMI) said the peace process in Aceh was already running in a good and encouraging way.

"In my meetings with the people of Aceh in the districts of Southeast Aceh, Central Aceh, and Banda Aceh, they said they were enjoying the peace process," said Ahtasaari in the company of Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf, Iskandar Muda Military Commander Maj Gen Supriandin, and Aceh Police chief Insp Gen Rismawan.

He expressed hope the reconciliation process in Aceh could be implemented soon.

Commenting on sporadic criminal acts in Aceh, the Finnish former president said they did not disturb the peace process in the province.

"Although a few acts of violence have happened, they have not disturbed the peace process in Aceh as they were essentially the acts of criminals," Ahtasaari told newsmen here.

Ahtasaari, who in 2005 headed an organization that brokered talks between the government and GAM to end their decades-old armed conflict in Aceh, said his three-day visit (from Sunday to Tuesday) in Aceh was intended to get first-hand information on developments in the peace process provided for in the Helsinki agreement signed on August 15, 2005.

The former Finnish leader noted the "Atu Lintang" case in which five Aceh Transition Committee (KPA) members were killed in Central Aceh had not disturbed the peace process in the province.

Meanwhile, United States Ambassador to Indonesia Cameron Hume, during his visit here last Friday, said conditions in the province had become more peaceful, almost three years after the government and GAM signed their peace agreement in Helsinki.