Acehnese want peace, justice and freedom from Susilo administration<\/p>\n
Nani Farida and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Peace, safety and justice for local officials implicated in
\ncorruption are all that the Acehnese are demanding from the
\nSusilo administration as it prepares new policies for the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
Jailani Hasan, 67, a local informal leader, said he did not
\ncare whether the government extended or lifted the state of civil
\nemergency in Aceh as long as peace and order were maintained.<\/p>\n
\"I support whatever the government decides for Aceh as long as
\nthe policies bring us a better life,\" Jailani said. \"We saw
\nnothing change under martial law or the state of civil emergency.
\nSoldiers in the field always behave the same and arbitrary
\narrests have continued.\"<\/p>\n
Hasan, 50, a street vendor who makes a living out of repairing
\nshoes, said he longed for a safe and peaceful life, no matter
\nwhat the new President decided for the province.<\/p>\n
Different opinions were aired by activists who said they
\nexpected the government to lift the state of emergency in Aceh to
\nprovide its people with more freedom.<\/p>\n
\"It has been so long since a state of emergency was declared
\nin Aceh, I wish the government would lift it to pave the way for
\nfreedom and democracy for everyone,\" said Rufriadi, a lawyer from
\nthe Aceh branch of the Legal Aid Foundation (LBH).<\/p>\n
Another activist, Akhiruddin, asked the government to impose
\ncivilian administration throughout province, while criticizing
\nthe government for failing to eradicate rampant corruption
\ninvolving local government officials, despite the fact that
\nsecurity personnel were granted power to probe cases under the
\nstate of emergency.<\/p>\n
The government is reviewing the state of emergency in Aceh,
\nwhich is due to expire on Nov. 19. There are three options on
\noffer: restore normal order, extend the state of emergency, and
\npartially maintain the status in certain areas prone to conflict.<\/p>\n
\"Indeed, there are some management hiccups there because the
\nincumbent governor cannot carry out his job as administrator of
\nthe civil emergency as a result of the ongoing legal process
\nagainst him,\" Widodo said after a coordination meeting on Aceh on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
He was referring to Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh, who has been
\nnamed a suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in
\nthe alleged markup of a helicopter purchase in 2000.<\/p>\n
Widodo, however, fell short of saying whether his office --
\nwhich also oversees legal reform in the country -- would take
\nmeasures to accelerate the legal process against Puteh.<\/p>\n
Present during Tuesday's meeting were, among others,
\nCoordinating Minister for the Economy Aburizal Bakrie,
\nCoordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab,
\nIndonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto,
\nNational Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, Iskandar Muda Military
\nCommander Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya, who oversees Aceh, and Aceh
\nPolice chief Insp. Gen. Bachrumsyah Kasman, who is also the
\nacting civil emergency administrator in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Endriartono said the TNI had managed to reduce the number of
\nFree Aceh Movement members to about 2,200 from 5,000 since a
\nmajor offensive against the rebels began in May 2003.<\/p>",
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