[Kabar-indonesia] Aceh governance law set for enactment [+Tsunami survivors leave tents]

[Joyo at aol.com]

also: Tsunami survivors leave tents

The Jakarta Post 
Saturday, July 1, 2006

Aceh governance law set for enactment

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives is scheduled to endorse the long-awaited and 
much-debated Aceh governance bill on July 11, with the main focus then on holding 
the first direct gubernatorial election in the province.

The chairman of the House's special committee on the bill, Ferry Mursyidan 
Baldan, said in a discussion here Friday that a team was honing the wording of 
the 261-article bill before it was brought to a plenary session for endorsement.

"The special session will leave for Aceh on July 13 to hand over the bill to 
the Aceh administration for its enforcement and dissemination among the 
Acehnese," he said.

Acehnese legislators and legislators who opposed the content of the original 
bill also said they would endorse the rehashed version, which was completed 
last week four months overdue.

Communications Minister Sofyan A. Djalil said the bill was not only a "golden 
gift" to the Acehnese, but also marked the full realization of the August 
2005 agreement between the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to build a 
lasting peace and spur the post-tsunami rehabilitation program in the 
province.

He said the bill ushered in a better future, with the first objective to hold 
the landmark direct gubernatorial elections and implement special autonomy 
under the new law.

Ferry and Sofyan said the Aceh governance law, in addition to providing more 
authority and funding to the regional administration than under the 2001 
Autonomy Law, also absorbed more of the GAM's interests.

"Under the Indonesian Unitary State principle and the Constitution, it is 
impossible for us to comply with all the things GAM has demanded. But in certain 
fields, including education, fiscal balance and religion, the government has 
given more political concessions than the GAM sought," Ferry said.

In ending tough, protracted negotiations last week, the government and the 
House managed to resolve 10 crucial issues, including on the police, sharia, 
management of the exploration of natural resources, local parties, independent 
candidates and supervision of qanun (bylaw) enforcement.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) originally opposed the 
conditions of the peace agreement signed in Helsinki, and also faulted the 
original bill for giving too many concessions to the GAM. However, PDI-P legislator 
Irmadi Lubis said it now accepted the bill because it focused on the 
improvement of the Acehnese people's social welfare and the upholding of justice.

He also believed the bill would help resolve the lingering issues from the 
almost 30-year insurgency.

"The bill asserts the Acehnese people's rights to enjoy their rich natural 
resources and, one year after its enforcement, it also orders the establishment 
of an independent commission of truth and reconciliation to handle unresolved 
human rights abuses and arrange compensation for those who suffered injustice 
in the past."

Nasir Djamil, a member of the Joint Forum for Acehnese Legislators (Forbes 
Aceh), claimed that the GAM accepted the bill despite its absence during the 
deliberation process.

"We met with GAM officials here three days ago to communicate the latest 
developments in the bill's deliberation and, although there was disappointment on 
certain issues, they could accept the bill's contents."

Nasir, who is also deputy chairman of the special committee on the bill, said 
many elements of Acehnese society were ambivalent about its contents due to a 
lack of information.

But he acknowledged that the bill could not fully meet the demands of the 
government or the GAM, but they should compromise for peace in the province.

Sofyan said he was optimistic all law enforcement-related problems could be 
settled because the government and the GAM had established a joint forum, 
called the Committee of Security Arrangements, in which both sides could raise 
issues to be resolved. 

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The Jakarta Post 
Saturday, July 1, 2006

Tsunami survivors leave tents

A girl looks on as her parents dismantle their tent in Gue Gajah village, 
Darul Imarah district in Aceh Besar regency on Friday (see photo).

Some 200 families who have been living in tents in the village since the 
December 2004 tsunami swept away their homes were moved to temporary houses in 
line with the government's commitment to relocate them before July 1.

The displaced people had packed their things Friday before dismantling the 
tents, while several trucks were waiting nearby to carry their belongings to the 
temporary houses.

"It's nice to have a house, even if it is only a temporary one," said 
Nurliana, one of the displaced people in Gue Gajah.

The temporary houses, each measuring four by three meters, will accommodate 
177 families from Gue Gajah while another 50 other families who have their own 
land must wait longer before their houses are built.

The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 
assisted by 28 contractors, have pledged to build 15,317 temporary houses in 10 
regencies in Aceh and Nias island.

The temporary houses are intended to fill the gap between tents and permanent 
houses.

However, not all those living in tents in the area will get a house. Maryam, 
38, for example, has packed up her belongings even though she does not know 
where she will move to.

"I was asked to pack my things, so I just did it although I still don't know 
where I will live," said Maryam.

According to the caretaker of the camp for displaced people in Gue Gajah, 
Mustafa, those who have not obtained houses will be relocated to vacant barracks.

"They will wait until their houses are completed. The important thing is 
there will be no one living in tents in the area," Mustafa told The Jakarta Post.

According to May data, only 10,000 families or 25,000 survivors, most of whom 
come from Aceh Jaya regency, still live in tents.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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