Acehnese demand political rights<\/p>\n
Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh, Aceh<\/p>\n
At least eight students in the province of Aceh went on a
\nhunger strike on Monday to demand freedom of political
\nexpression, including campaigns for declaring the province's
\nindependence.<\/p>\n
The protesters from Students' Solidarity for the People (SMUR)
\nsaid the four-month-old peace agreement between the Indonesian
\ngovernment and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) had stifled the
\npublic's freedom to express themselves politically.<\/p>\n
Eight of the protesters said they would continue their hunger
\nstrike until the peace monitoring body, the Joint Security
\nCommittee (JSC), ensured Acehnese could freely express their
\npolitical views.<\/p>\n
"We want a guarantee of our political rights, to campaign for
\nautonomy as well as for independence," said Muslim, the spokesman
\nat SMUR, which staged the rally inside the JSC office in the
\nprovincial capital of Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
The committee comprises representatives from the Indonesian
\ngovernment, GAM and Swiss-based non-governmental organization
\nthe Henry Dunant Centre (HDC), which has facilitated the peace
\ntalks for two years.<\/p>\n
GAM has been fighting for independence in the natural resource
\n-rich province since 1976. Some 10,000 people, mostly civilians,
\nhave been killed during the war with government forces.<\/p>\n
Fighting abated following the signing of the peace agreement
\nin December last year.<\/p>\n
The Cessation of Hostilities Agreement provides few clues on
\nbuilding the political future of Aceh.<\/p>\n
Instead, the accord leaves that choice to the people of Aceh,
\nunder a clause that calls for elections.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and GAM remain at odds over whether independence is
\npart of that option. Pro-independence Acehnese consider the
\nelection as a right to self determination.<\/p>\n
But the government insists that the entire peace accord rests
\nwith GAM's acceptance of the special autonomy status it has given
\nto Aceh.<\/p>\n
Muslim said the JSC should explain the peace agreement to the
\npeople, pointing to a clause in the agreement that guaranties
\nfreedom of political expression.<\/p>\n
He did not say how the government or GAM had stifled Acehnese
\npolitical rights since the agreement, but SMUR also demanded that
\npolice release all political prisoners.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Monday, a crowd of around 500 protesters from the
\nJoint Action of Acehnese Civil Society (JSACS) turned out before
\nthe JSC office demanding the release of political activist
\nMuhammad Nazar who chairs a presidium advocating a referendum for
\nAceh. They said he was arrested last month.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/acehnese-demand-political-rights-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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