Delegates attending government-sponsored peace talks in Malino, South Sulawesi, this week have agreed to end the conflict which has deeply divided the Christian and Muslim communities of Central Sulawesi over the past three years.  On Thursday 20 December 2001, at the end of two days of negotiations marked by a strong commitment to end the conflict and to secure unconditional peace in Poso, the religious, ethnic and militia leaders of both sides drew up and signed a detailed ten-point peace agreement. 

The Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare, Jusuf Kalla, acted as mediator in the negotiations and was accompanied by local officials who included South Sulawesi Governor HZB Palaguna, Central Sulawesi Governor Aminuddin Ponulele and Major- General Achmad Yahya, Chief of the Wirabuana Military Command  for Sulawesi.  The two factions have also set up two joint commissions, a Security and Law Enforcement Commission and a Socio-economic Commission.

Although the fifth of its kind, this latest agreement is the most promising to date in the efforts to secure a lasting peace in that it has for the first time brought together representatives not only of the various religious groups and tribal factions, but also of the field commanders of the warring factions.

This milestone agreement is comprised of the following ten points:

1.  To end all conflicts and disagreements.

2.  To abide by all efforts to enforce the law and to seek penalties for those who  violate it.

3.  To insist that the state apparatus take firm measures to maintain security and to apply them
     justly and fairly.

4.  To reject the application of civil emergency law and the intervention of outside  parties in a bid 
     to keep the climate peaceful.

5.  To forgo calumny and discrimination against all parties and to foster an attitude of mutual respect
     and forgiveness.

6.  To respect the right of all Indonesians to visit, settle and live in peace in Poso as an integral part
     of Indonesia, while conforming to the local culture and customs.

7.  To return all illegally appropriated property to its rightful owner as per the situation before the
     conflict erupted.

8.  To repatriate all IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons).

9.  To support the government in thoroughly rehabilitating and rebuilding the economic infrastructures
     destroyed in the conflict.

10. To show mutual respect for the religious rights and laws of all parties and to comply with all
     relevant laws and regulations.

The meeting, which was held at the Celebes Hotel in the mountain town of Malino amid tight security measures, was called after the violence had considerably worsened over the last two months.