IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 456 

Expressing support for the memorandum of understanding signed by the 

Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement 

on August 15, 2005, to end the conflict in Aceh, a province in Sumatra, 

Indonesia. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 21, 2005 

Mr. CROWLEY (for himself, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. 

WEXLER, and Mr. BLUMENAUER) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on International Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the memorandum of understanding 

signed by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia 

and the Free Aceh Movement on August 15, 2005, to 

end the conflict in Aceh, a province in Sumatra, Indonesia. 

Whereas for three decades there has been a continuous armed 

conflict in Aceh, a province in Sumatra, Indonesia; 

Whereas violence between the Indonesian military and the 

Free Aceh Movement has resulted in an estimated 15,000 

deaths in the region; 

Whereas the tsunami that occurred on December 26, 2004, 

killed at least 165,000 people in Aceh and devastated the 

landscape; 
2 

•HRES 456 IH 

Whereas after the tsunami both the Government of Indonesia 

and the Free Aceh Movement recognized that a peaceful 

settlement of the conflict would have to be reached to enable the rebuilding of Aceh; 

Whereas after months of negotiating through the Crisis Management Initiative chaired by former President Martti 

Ahtisaari of Finland, the parties agreed to a draft memorandum of understanding to end the conflict in July 

2005; 

Whereas Hamid Awaludin, Minister of Law and Human 

Rights of Indonesia, and Malik Mahmud, of the Free 

Aceh Movement, signed the final memorandum of understanding on August 15, 2005, in Helsinki; 

Whereas the memorandum of understanding provides a timetable for disarmament of the Free Aceh Movement and 

troop withdrawals by the Indonesian military; 

Whereas the memorandum of understanding provides the 

people of Aceh with new political powers and the right to 

retain 70 percent of the revenues from certain natural resource extractions from the province; 

Whereas a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a 

Human Rights Court will be established for Aceh; 

Whereas the Free Aceh Movement has agreed to forego its 

demand for independence; and 

Whereas Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono 

has provided amnesty and released hundreds of Free 

Aceh Movement members being held in prison since the 

signing of the peace agreement: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
3 

•HRES 456 IH 

1 (1) expresses support for the memorandum of 

2 understanding signed by the Government of the Re3 public of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement on 

4 August 15, 2005, to end the conflict in Aceh, a 

5 province in Sumatra, Indonesia, and congratulates 

6 both parties for their willingness to compromise; 

7 (2) expresses the hope that both parties live up 

8 to their commitments under the memorandum of un9 derstanding and that peace and security can finally 

10 be achieved in Aceh after three decades; and 

11 (3) encourages the Secretary of State and the 

12 Administrator of the United States Agency for 

13 International Development to commit resources in 

14 guaranteeing the peace and building a strong civil 

15 society in Aceh. 

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