Purwanto, Jakarta – Around 50 people from Aceh Care for Aceh (Acheh Peduli Acheh, APA) held a protest in front of parliament in Jakarta on Monday June 20. They were demanding that the TNI (armed forces) and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) implement a cease-fire. They also criticised the attitude of the People’s Representative Assembly’s (DPR) Defense Commission, which opposes the peace negotiation with GAM in Helsinki.

“We want Indonesia and GAM to implement a cease fire until there is peace”, said Helmy Nugraha, the demonstration spokesperson. They also support the involvement of a third party in solving the Aceh question. They believe that it is correct to internationalisation of the Aceh question. “Internationalisation isn’t a negative thing”, asserted Nugraha.

Thamrin Ananda meanwhile, said that the Defense Commission’s attitude indicates the ambiguity of the assembly and that the statements by the assembly do not represent the Acehnese peoples’ wishes.

The protest proceeded in a peaceful manner with representatives taking turns to give speeches. The demonstrators brought a number of posters with messages such as “Permadi1 just worry about your own evil spirits”, “Don’t involve the military in solving the Aceh question” and “The war in Aceh is unjust”.

Notes:

1. Permadi – A member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle fraction in the DPR.

[Translated by Risna.]