Juha Christensen is a Finnish businessman, philanthropist[1] and negotiator who played an instrumental role in the 2005 Aceh peace process.[2][3][4] He was also involved in negotiations leading to the release of Phillip Mark Mehrtens, a New Zealand pilot taken hostage by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) during the 2023 Nduga hostage crisis.[5]
Juha Christensen | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Finnish |
| Occupation(s) | Peace activist, negotiator |
| Known for | 2005 Aceh peace process |
Life
editChristensen is a former pharmaceutical executive.[3] Before becoming involved in the Aceh peace process, he had lived for several decades in Indonesia,[6][7][8] and spoke Indonesian fluently.[9]
Involvement in Aceh peace process
editIn June 2003 and acting on his own initiative, Christensen went to Stockholm where he initiated discussions with leaders of the Free Aceh Movement.[10][8] In February 2004 Christensen contacted Martti Ahtisaari, the former President of Finland, who he knew personally,[11] to become involved in peace negotiations.[10] Christensen was also able to connect another old friend, Farid Husain,[12] then the Indonesian Minister of Health, with Ahtisaari and the Finnish CMI (Crisis Management Initiative). Christensen was an active participant in the peace negotiations.[6][9] As a result of the negotiations that followed, a peace agreement between the parties in conflict was signed in Helsinki on 15 August 2005.[13][14]
Following the peace agreement, Christensen was a special adviser to the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) until 2006.[15]
In 2015, Christensen negotiated the surrender and disarming of Din Minimi,[16][17] a former GAM militant, and 30 of his followers east of Banda Aceh.[18][19][20][21]
As of 2017, Christensen is the general manager of Pacta (Architecture Peace and Conflict Transformation Alliance), a Finnish peace organization that he co-founded.[22][15]
Christensen was invited to join the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council as a founding member.[23][24]
References
edit- ^ Farid Husain; Salim Shahab (journalist.) (2007). To See the Unseen: Scenes Behind the Aceh Peace Treaty. Health & Hospital Indonesia. ISBN 978-979-15936-0-1.
- ^ Post, The Jakarta. "Juha Christensen: Committed to peace".
- ^ a b Natalie Ralph (25 September 2015). Peacemaking and the Extractive Industries: Towards a Framework for Corporate Peace. Greenleaf Publishing. pp. 220–. ISBN 978-1-78353-247-6.
- ^ Jacob Bercovitch; Kwei-Bo Huang; Chung-Chian Teng (28 August 2008). Conflict Management, Security and Intervention in East Asia: Third-party Mediation in Regional Conflict. Routledge. pp. 308–. ISBN 978-1-134-14101-2.
- ^ Faturahman, Andi Adam (2024-09-22). Chairunnisa, Ninis (ed.). "Pangkogabwilhan III Akui Keterlibatan Aktivis HAM Finlandia dalam Operasi Pembebasan Pilot Susi Air" [Pangkogabwilhan III Admits Finnish Human Rights Activits Involvement in Susi Air Pilot Rescue Operation]. Tempo (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ a b Sumit Ganguly; Andrew Scobell; Joseph Liow (4 December 2009). The Routledge Handbook of Asian Security Studies. Taylor & Francis. pp. 398–. ISBN 978-1-135-22961-0.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-11-29. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b Malin Akebo (10 November 2016). Ceasefire Agreements and Peace Processes: A Comparative Study. Taylor & Francis. pp. 118–. ISBN 978-1-317-20412-1.
- ^ a b Katri Merikallio; Tapani Ruokanen (15 October 2015). The Mediator: A Biography of Martti Ahtisaari. Hurst. pp. 295–. ISBN 978-0-19-061313-6.
- ^ a b Martina Klimesova (30 November 2015). Using Carrots to Bring Peace?: Negotiation and Third Party Involvement. World Scientific. pp. 165–. ISBN 978-981-4699-12-9.
- ^ Peng Er Lam (2 June 2009). Japan's Peace-Building Diplomacy in Asia: Seeking a More Active Political Role. Routledge. pp. 138–. ISBN 978-1-134-12506-7.
- ^ Antje Missbach (19 September 2011). Separatist Conflict in Indonesia: The long-distance politics of the Acehnese diaspora. Taylor & Francis. pp. 230–. ISBN 978-1-136-63108-5.
- ^ Sille Stidsen (1 July 2006). The Indigenous World 2006. IWGIA. pp. 308–. ISBN 978-87-91563-18-8.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2012-11-26.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b "Team - Pacta".
- ^ "Din Minimi, Most-wanted Aceh insurgent 'Agreed to Surrender after Jokowi Vowed Amnesty'". globejournal.com. 27 January 2020.
- ^ "Amnesti Terhadap Din Minimi Masih Akan Dilaporkan ke Presiden".
- ^ "Kisah Negosiator Finlandia Penghubung Kepala BIN-Din Minimi".
- ^ "Din Minimi, Band of Acehnese Militants Surrender to Indonesia".
- ^ "Salainen operaatio viidakossa – suomalaisvälittäjä sai aseet pois vastarintaryhmältä Indonesiassa". 18 January 2016.
- ^ Tempo.Co (28 January 2016). "Diprotes, Sutiyoso: Amnesti Din Minimi Tetap Diproses".
- ^ Bersama, PT Jaring News Media. "Juha Christensen: Penyelesaian Konflik di Papua Lebih Kompleks - Jaring News".[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Pacta News - Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council established – PACTA General Manager, Juha Christensen, a Founding Member".
- ^ "Mr. Juha Christensen - Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council".