Jakarta – The Minister of Defense, Juwono Sudarsono, says that the Helsinki meetings which are an informal forum for discussions between Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) are a personal initiative on the part of Vice-president Jusuf Kalla.

This was explained by Sudarsono at a working meeting with the People’s Representative Assembly (DPR) Commission I on Monday June 6 which was chaired by Theo L Sambuaga from the Golkar Party fraction. “Neither the Minister of Defense, the Minister for Foreign Affairs or the Minister for Home Affairs have been involved in the Helsinki meetings”, he said.

Sudarsono explained however, that “It was the vice-president’s initiative and I believe that it remains valid in terms of handling the political theater which is called international concern over Aceh”.

Sudarsono was responding to a question from Commission I member Permadi from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) who is concerned about the Helsinki meetings because they give the impression that by tasking the Minister for Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin as the head of the delegation, it is not seen as an official government assignment but a personal proposal by Kalla. PDI-P fraction member Effendi MS Simbolon also doubted the effectiveness of the meetings saying the GAM delegation which has been invited to the negotiations does not represent GAM in Aceh.

AS Hikam from the National Awakening Party (PKB) fraction is also asking Sudarsono to end the meetings because they are a private initiative. The reality he said, is that these informal meetings have become formal.

Speaking personally, Sudarsono said he is not too worried that the Helsinki meetings have remained informal. If the talks fail the government will not be held accountable. On the other hand, if the government is convinced that the outcomes are positive it can take the results of the informal meetings and use them as a basis for official negotiations.

With regard to concerns that the Aceh question is being internationalised, Sudarsono said Indonesia is part of the United Nations which acknowledges the sovereignty of states to determine their own future, but also provides space for other states to play a role in issues which are of international concern. “For the department of defense what is important in informal or official negotiations is not to let our soldiers in the field die for nothing. For me, the value of one soldier is the same as 1,000 cleaver people”, he said.

Parliament divided

Although a number of DPR members have raised questions about the Helsinki meetings, the parliament is in fact divided. In practical terms it is only the PDI-P fraction, the National Coalition1 fraction and members from some other factions which are insisting the talks be ended. The fractions in the People’s Coalition2 and a number of other fractions meanwhile agree that the government should continue the meetings.

On Sunday, the head of the PDI-P fraction Tjahjo Kumolo called for the Helsinki meetings be terminated and moreover should not be allowed to reach an agreement. The head of the National Coalition agreed. “There have been enough talks with GAM. They should stop. The outcome of the negotiations have already hurt Indonesia’s position. GAM has taken advantage of the meetings to place themselves on par with NKRI3. As a sovereign nation, we must oppose these meeting”, said Ali Masykur.

The deputy heads of the National Mandate Party (PAN) fraction, Djoko Susilo, Dradjad Hari Wibowo and Fuad Bawazier who were contacted on Monday, also continue to opposing the meetings. PAN fraction secretaries Muhammad Nadjib and Ahmad Farhan however support the meetings.

According to Bawazier, the Helsinki meetings have damaged Indonesia. This can be seen from the three points of agreement with GAM which allow GAM to conduct business activities overseas, to hold maritime boundary rights of 12 miles, to hold local elections and have a local political party. “[To hold] local elections is the same as a referendum, [conducting] business overseas and maritime rights mean the same as a federated state. The DPR must oppose these negotiations”, he said.

Farhan however has a positive view of the Helsinki meetings and says that there is no need to worry that they will impinge on the existence of NKRI. On the question of overseas trade and maritime rights these are in fact already regulated by Law Number 32/2004 on Regional Governments. “What is crucial is only the issue of elections and local parties. If this is agreed to it will require legislative changes”, he said.

Time limit

At a meeting on Sunday, the People’s Coalition agreed to support the Helsinki meetings but to set a time limit of August 17. The meeting which was chaired by the head of the Democratic Party fraction Soekartono Hadiwarsito was attended by Golkar Party fraction leader Andi Mattalata, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) fraction leader Untung Wahono and PKS deputy fraction leaders Sutan Bhatoegana and Muhammad Nadjib.

“It would be best if before August 17, the meetings be ended and the government present the results to the DPR”, said Hadiwarsito. “After that, enough, disband the delegation”, said Bhatoegana.

Aceh councilor Nasir Djamil believes that the Helsinki meetings are important because they have a direct relationship with the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Aceh.

DPR speaker Agung Laksono has conceded that the DPR has reached a new agreement which will permit the government to continue the negotiations but with a clear time limit. “On the issue of the agreement in general terms there’s no problem, only on the proposal for local parties in Aceh. This contradicts the constitution and other regulations of the republic”, he said.

The coordinator of the Aceh Working Groups, Rusdi Marpaung, said that there are no grounds for the DPR’s concerns over the internationalisation of the Aceh question or that it will end up in a referendum. What is important at the moment said Marpaung is how can the international community participate in assisting the humanitarian emergency in Aceh and assist in the process of reconstruction and rehabilitation.

Separately, army chief General Djoko Santoso said that the negotiations between the government and GAM are the government’s business. “We are only tasked with providing troops for operations [in Aceh], said Santoso in Bandung. (mhd/MAM/WIN/sut/dik/DWA)

Notes:

1. The Nationalist Coalition is made up of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, the Golkar Party, the Star Reform Party and the Peace and Prosperity Party.

2. The People’s Coalition is made up of the United Development Party, the Democratic Party, the National Mandate Party, the Justice and Prosperity Party and the Democratic Pioneer Star Party.

3. NKRI – Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia, the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. A term which is often used in the context of nationalism and the desire to maintain the integrity of the Indonesian nation.

[Translated by James Balowski.]