Newsletters and Updates

Current Articles Papua Peace Update (July 2008) Evans Reflections on CTF (July 2008) Courant Plowshares Article (July 2008) Indonesia Seminar 2009 (July 2008) Interfaith Dialogue Initiative (February 2008) Restorative Justice Work (February 2008) Ghost Ranch Workshop (January 2008) Local Training Opportunities (April 2007) Hong Kong/China Seminar 2008 (April 2007) Truth and Friendship Commission Update (January 2007) South Africa Seminar 2007 (January 2007) Aceh Peace Project Prospers (December 2006) Plowshares Celebrates 25th Anniversary (November 2006)

The Aceh Peace Accord, 60th Anniversary Celebrations, and the Invigoration of Plowshares Aceh Program
September 2005

Alice Evans and I met with partners in preparation for both the Aceh initiative and the 3rd Indonesian team in-country training as part of Plowshares joint initiative with the Indonesian Ministry of Law and Human Rights.  On August 15^th we had the privilege of watching the signing of the Aceh peace accord on TV with Hafid Abbas and other from the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.  Mulat, senior ministry staff and member of the second team to South Africa, was representing the Human Rights division of the Ministry (HAM) at the ceremony in the grand mosque in Banda Aceh. 

This was a very moving ceremony in which Awaludin (the primary negotiator representing the Indonesian government and the Minister of Law and Human Rights) ended his address in Acehnese. Mulat told us that the crowd in the grand mosque cheered (English was the official language of the signing; with Indonesian overlay translation by the TV reporter.) The ceremony was showed on a three part screen - one showing the signing and speeches in Helsinki, one a view of the crowds at the grand mosque in Banda Aceh, and one at the presidential palace. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) addressed all three audiences in closing remarks. There seems to be great optimism in Indonesia about real possibilities for sustainable peace.

We attended a special Independence Day ceremony on August 17^th at the central offices of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. Minister Awaludin read the independence proclamation and led the audience in reciting the 5 Pancasila principles and the 5 commitments to public service.  A really impressive service and a great band performance!

The recent Indonesian Traveling Seminar group will recall that Awaludin told them that the Aceh accord would have important implications for Papua. We had several visits this past weekend with the rector of the main university in Jayapura, Papua who chaired the committee which drafted Papua’s special autonomy law.  He has been meeting with SBY and other government officials to develop a strategy for addressing the problems in Papua, using the learnings from Aceh. All of this is very promising for Papua.

Your prayers are bearing unexpected fruit. We learned on Monday that in conjunction with the Peace Accord signing, HAM has a new mandate. This is to direct the integration of some 4000 political prisoners and former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) soldiers back into Acehnese society. Many of the soldiers and their 12,000 children have been living in the jungle for decades and neither soldiers nor family members have had even elementary education. Part of HAM’s challenge is also to help the villagers receive their new neighbors.

We met with IOM staff yesterday afternoon (International Organization for Migration - which has significant expertise in resettlement of refugees). This excellent organization will facilitate the first stages of repatriating the 2000 political prisoners who are in 7 different prisons throughout Indonesia. This whole mandate adds another dimension to our training program.  We meet tonight with two professors at the University Of Indonesia Dept Of Psychology Crisis Center to develop the trauma healing component of our Acehnese training workshops in conflict transformation.  HAM’s goal is to begin the workshops as soon as possible.  Plowshares is honored to be a part of this peacebuilding work in Indonesia and appreciates your prayers and support.

Peace,
Bob