Acehnese participate in 'direct election' for local leaders<\/p>\n
Kanis Dursin, The Jakarta Post, Aceh Tamiang, Aceh<\/p>\n
Neiti Sumiarti could not hide her joy when asked about her
\nfeelings after participating in a public debate before an
\naudience of some 300 people at the Rencong Assembly Hall in
\nTamiang, East Aceh on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"I'm very glad to have participated in this activity. I
\nstrongly support a direct election for heads of local
\nadministrations,\" said Neiti, a civil servant with two children.<\/p>\n
Neiti, in her late 30s, was among three aspirants in an
\nelection campaign simulation co-organized by the Tamiang-based
\nMa'arif Education Foundation and the Jakarta-based Center for
\nElectoral Reform (Cetro) in Tamiang, East Aceh, last Monday with
\nthe aim of promoting a democratic, direct election for regents,
\nmayors, and governor there.<\/p>\n
Trust in political parties, which burgeoned ahead of the 1999
\nelections, is waning, but enthusiasm for better representatives,
\nat least in this part of the troubled province, is high.<\/p>\n
Tamiang, a small town some 400 kilometers east of Banda Aceh,
\nwas chosen to host the simulation as it was one of five Aceh
\nregencies established in July 2002. The other four are Gayo
\nLuwes, Aceh Jaya, Aceh Barat Daya and Nagan Raya. Their
\nestablishment brings the number of regencies in Aceh to 20,
\nincluding four mayoralties. To date, the five newly created
\nregencies have acting regents only, with no legislature members.<\/p>\n
Under law No. 18\/2001 on special autonomy status for Aceh, the
\nprovince's governor, regents, and mayors are all to be elected
\ndirectly by the people. The provincial government, however, is
\nyet to enact a bylaw or qanum of the law.<\/p>\n
In the public debate exercise, facilitated by noted
\nsociologist Imam B. Prasodjo, the three pairs of regent and vice
\nregent candidates were asked to spell out their vision, mission
\nand work programs to the audience.<\/p>\n
\"I want to run for the position of regent because I want to
\nfight for the rights of marginalized Acehnese in general, and
\nAceh Tamiang people in particular,\" Neiti said confidently.<\/p>\n
\"I want to create a secure, harmonious and peaceful Tamiang,
\nand promote human rights and legal supremacy,\" Neiti's running
\nmate Zakaria Hassan added.<\/p>\n
\"If I get elected, I will ensure that the regency's resources
\nare used for the greater benefit of Tamiang people,\" said
\nMohammad Enda R., 25, another regent aspirant.<\/p>\n
Ridwan H.S., the third regent candidate, said, \"I have dared
\nto run for the regent post because I want to join hands with
\nTamiang people in developing the regency.\"<\/p>\n
When the question-and-answer session came, the audience stood
\non their toes, all wanting to pose questions to the contestants,
\nbut there was only time to take three.<\/p>\n
The questions ranged from how they would make themselves known
\nto how they would go about bringing peace to the troubled
\nprovince, where the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has been fighting
\nfor independence since 1976.<\/p>\n
Last Sunday, the candidates held campaigns in five senior high
\nschools in Tamiang regency, explaining their vision and mission
\nfor the regency and work programs if they got elected.<\/p>\n
Before the public debate, a discussion on a direct election
\nwas organized, featuring legislator Ahmad Farhan Hamid, who is
\nalso chairman of the Reform Faction in the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR), Aceh councillor Muchlis Muchtar and
\nsociologist Imam.<\/p>\n
\"Direct elections for regional administrations are one of the
\nremedies for the Aceh conflict,\" said Muchlis, adding that GAM
\nfighters believed there was political injustice in the province,
\nas the public was not involved in selecting its leaders.<\/p>\n
\"They (the leaders) have no legitimacy in the eyes of the
\npeople because they don't represent the people's interests,\" said
\nMuchlis, urging provincial administrations and legislatures to
\nissue a bylaw on direct elections for regents and mayors as
\nstipulated in Aceh's special autonomy law.<\/p>\n
During peace talks in Geneva, Switzerland, in May, GAM and the
\ngovernment agreed to use the autonomy law as the sole basis for
\nany peace talks in the future.<\/p>\n
Farhan, meanwhile, regretted that the Aceh provincial
\ngovernment had not followed up the special autonomy law by
\nenacting a bylaw on direct elections. This is believed to be one
\nof the ways to end Aceh's bloody conflicts, where armed clashes
\nbetween government troops and GAM fighters have killed thousands
\nof people, mostly innocent civilians.<\/p>\n
Imam stressed that a direct election was merely a means to net
\nquality leaders who were committed to improving the welfare of
\nAcehnese people.<\/p>\n
Neiti urged the government to issue a bylaw on direct
\nelections, so that by next year people could directly elect their
\nown leaders.<\/p>\n
Whoever got elected as Tamiang regent, Neiti said, he or she
\nwould have to address the regency's two main pressing issues --
\nland certification and the quality of tuition for elementary and
\nhigh-school students.<\/p>\n
Asked about what she learned from the exercise, Neiti said, \"I
\nnow realize that one must have a specific program before running
\nfor the post of regent.\"<\/p>",
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