Helsinki Agreement (Aceh)

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Helsinki Agreement (Aceh)
Perjanjian damai helsinki.jpg
Hamid Awaluddin and Malik Mahmud shook hands after signing the Helsinki Agreement mediated by former Finnish President, Martti Ahtisaari
TypePolitical Agreement
Signed15 Agustus 2005
Location Helsinki, Finland
Mediators Martti Ahtisaari
Parties

The Helsinki Agreement is a term commonly used in Indonesia to refer to the memorandum of understanding between the government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed in Helsinki, Finland on August 15, 2005. [1] [2] [3] This agreement contains a statement of commitment from both parties to efforts to resolve the Aceh conflict in a peaceful, comprehensive, sustainable, and dignified manner for the people of Aceh. The Helsinki Accords detailed the content of the agreement reached and the principles that would guide the transformation process. [4]

Contents

Background

Aceh is Indonesia's westernmost province and the site of an armed rebellion that has been ongoing for decades since 1976. Therefore, the Indonesian government has been keen to engage in peace negotiations, especially after the Fall of Soeharto.

In 2000, a "Humanitarian Pause" resulted in only a temporary halt to the violence. In 2002, a "Cessation of Hostilities Agreement" (COHA) was agreed upon, which ended when the Indonesian government declared Martial law in Aceh in May 2003 and announced its intention to crush the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Initial steps toward renewed negotiations occurred early in the year, accelerated by the impact of the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004, which caused numerous casualties in Aceh. After five rounds of intense negotiations between January and July, both sides finally agreed to the Helsinki Agreement. [5]

Contents

The Helsinki Agreement consists of four parts: [4]

There are 71 articles in the Helsinki Agreement. among them, Aceh is authorized to exercise authority in all public sectors, which will be carried out concurrently with civil administration and the judiciary, except in the areas of foreign relations, external defense, national security, monetary and fiscal matters, judicial power, and religious freedom, where these policies fall under the authority of the government of the Republic of Indonesia in accordance with the constitution in force at the time. [4]

Process

The Helsinki Agreement was reached through five rounds of negotiations, beginning on January 27, 2005, and ending on August 15, 2005.

The Indonesian delegation at the negotiations consisted of Hamid Awaluddin, Sofyan A. Djalil, Farid Husain, Usman Basyah, and I Gusti Wesaka Pudja. Meanwhile, the GAM negotiating team consisted of Malik Mahmud, Zaini Abdullah, M Nur Djuli, Nurdin Abdurrahman, and Bachtiar Abdullah.

The negotiation facilitator was Martti Ahtisaari, Former President of Finland, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Crisis Management Initiative, assisted by Juha Christensen. [6]

The original Helsinki Agreement consists of three copies, signed by Hamid Awaluddin as Minister of Law and Human Rights on behalf of the government of the Republic of Indonesia, Malik Mahmud, as the leader of the negotiating team of the Free Aceh Movement, and Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Crisis Management Initiative, as the facilitator of the negotiation process.

Accession

After 14 years of the Helsinki Agreement, not all of its articles have been implemented. Among them, point 1.4.5 states that all civilian crimes committed by military personnel in Aceh will be tried in civilian courts in Aceh. [7]

Books on the Helsinki Agreement

The main actors in the Helsinki negotiations have written extensively about the process of reaching the Helsinki Accords in books, both their own and those written by others.

References

  1. "The Story Behind the Helsinki MoU: When the Number of GAM Weapons Surprised the Republic Delegation - Acehkini.ID" (in Indonesian). 2023-08-14. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  2. Bhakti, Ikrar Nusa (2008). Home of Peace: Aceh Three Years After the MoU Helsinki. Jakarta: P2P LIPI and Pustaka Pelajar. p. 33. ISBN   978-602-8300-04-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. "Government of the Republic of Indonesia-GAM Sign Peace Agreement". merdeka.com. Retrieved 2019-09-25.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. 1 2 3 "Helsinki MoU Document (Bahasa Indonesia).pdf". Google Docs. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  5. "The Helsinki agreement : a more promising basis for peace in Aceh" . Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  6. "The Helsinki Agreement : A Promising Basis for Peace in Aceh" (PDF). Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  7. Danirandi (2019-06-13). "YAK: There are 10 Unrealized Points of the Helsinki MoU". Kanal Aceh. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  8. Merikallio, Katri (2006). Making Peace. Juva: WS Bookwell Oy. ISBN   951-0-32667-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. Husain, Farid (2007). Shahab, Salim; Siadari, Eben Ezer (eds.). To See the Unseen, The Story Behind Peace in Aceh. Jakarta: Health and Hospital Indonesia.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. Ali, Fachry (2008). Kalla and Aceh Peace. Jakarta: LPSEU Indonesia. ISBN   979-690-575-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. Awaluddin, Hamid (2008). Peace in Aceh: Notes on the Peace RI-GAM in Helsinki. Jakarta: CSIS.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)