EU to help finance Aceh peace accord

The European Commission contributes €2.3 million to support the implementation of the peace agreement between of the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The grant was made available from the Commission's special "Rapid Reaction Mechanism" and covers the cost of up to 50 international peace monitors for a period of six months. The Commission is funding this action together with several European Union member states, the USA and Japan.

On 9th December 2002 representatives of the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed in Geneva an "agreement on cessation of hostilities". This was a first step towards putting an end to a quarter of a century of bloody civil strife in the province of Aceh located at the northern tip of Sumatra, Indonesia. This latest peace agreement was brokered by a Geneva-based NGO, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (the Henri Dunant Centre) which is also involved in the peace monitoring programme.

The peace agreement is the first step in a process that provides for disengagement of combatants, the deposition of weapons by GAM into international control and the establishment of peace zones. The overall objective is gradual return to normal civilian life, free of fear and reprisals, and to promote conditions in which free and democratic elections can be held in 2004.

Background

The Commission is committed to supporting Indonesia's continuing consolidation of democratic processes, including the peaceful resolution of internal conflicts with respect for human rights. Under its "Rapid Reaction Mechanism" the Commission has funded an assessment mission in January this year the full report is available on:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/cpcm/mission/indo02.htm

which has resulted in a number of civil society peace initiatives in Papua and the Moluccas. Furthermore, an RRM-mission to Indonesia to explore possibilities in the field of counter terrorism is scheduled for January 2003.

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