ID :
47629
Wed, 02/25/2009 - 23:06
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/47629
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AHTISAARI CALLS ON ALL PARTIES TO PRESERVE PEACE IN ACEH
Banda Aceh, Feb 25 (ANTARA) - Nobel Laureate Martti Ahtisaari called on all political parties in Aceh to preserve the province's peaceful conditions by contesting the upcoming general elections in safe and intimidation-free ways.
"I hope all political parties will exercise self-constraint and prevent their members from conducting any intimidation so that the legislative election in Aceh will proceed peacefully," he said at the local airport before leaving for Jakarta here on Wednesday.
The former facilitator of the peace agreement between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) was concluding a two-day visit in Aceh during which he met with the region's police chief, Inspector General Adytia Warman, the regional military commander, Major General Soenarko, the chief of the Aceh Legislative Assembly (DPRA), Sayed Fuad Zakaria, and the local election supervisory committee.
Ahitisaari held the meetings to collect inputs on security conditions in the region ahead of the five yearly legislative election on April 9.
Ahtisaari who is also a former Finnish president said he had received a report from the region's police chief that intimidations were still occurring ahead of the election.
He hoped the police would investigate the cases and arrest the actors.
Intimidations by certain group on other political parties could disrupt peace in the region, he said. Therefore, he hoped the police would act against violations of election rules.
On the other hand, he called on all parties not to politicize criminal actions that had happened in Aceh as such things also often happened in other regions.
On President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's statement that the name "GAM" no longer existed, Ahtisaari said he supported it saying that after the signing of the memorandum of understanding for peace in Aceh on August 15, 2005 in Helsinki the name "GAM" was no longer recognized.
"The involvement of GAM leaders in the talks at the time was just a mere technical problem. But essentially after the signing of the MOU the name 'GAM' no longer exists," he said.
"I hope all political parties will exercise self-constraint and prevent their members from conducting any intimidation so that the legislative election in Aceh will proceed peacefully," he said at the local airport before leaving for Jakarta here on Wednesday.
The former facilitator of the peace agreement between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) was concluding a two-day visit in Aceh during which he met with the region's police chief, Inspector General Adytia Warman, the regional military commander, Major General Soenarko, the chief of the Aceh Legislative Assembly (DPRA), Sayed Fuad Zakaria, and the local election supervisory committee.
Ahitisaari held the meetings to collect inputs on security conditions in the region ahead of the five yearly legislative election on April 9.
Ahtisaari who is also a former Finnish president said he had received a report from the region's police chief that intimidations were still occurring ahead of the election.
He hoped the police would investigate the cases and arrest the actors.
Intimidations by certain group on other political parties could disrupt peace in the region, he said. Therefore, he hoped the police would act against violations of election rules.
On the other hand, he called on all parties not to politicize criminal actions that had happened in Aceh as such things also often happened in other regions.
On President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's statement that the name "GAM" no longer existed, Ahtisaari said he supported it saying that after the signing of the memorandum of understanding for peace in Aceh on August 15, 2005 in Helsinki the name "GAM" was no longer recognized.
"The involvement of GAM leaders in the talks at the time was just a mere technical problem. But essentially after the signing of the MOU the name 'GAM' no longer exists," he said.
