Demands for a new province in Aceh mounts<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Takengon, Central Aceh<\/p>\n
Demands have escalated for the formation of a new province,
\nseparate from Aceh, just days before the central government
\nannounces a new policy for the restive province.<\/p>\n
Delegates from the five regencies of Gayo Luas, Central Aceh,
\nSoutheast Aceh, Aceh Singkil and Tamiang voiced their aspirations
\nto unite as a new province, to be called Leuser Antara, in a
\ndialog with visiting Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen.
\nEndriartono Sutarto and Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh in Takengon,
\nCentral Aceh, on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Also present at the dialog were Maj. Gen. M. Djali Yusuf,
\nchief of the Iskandar Muda Military Command overseeing Aceh, Rear
\nAdmiral Leo Dumais, assistant to the Navy chief on operational
\naffairs, Rear Marshal Wartoyo, an assistant to the Air Force
\nchief on operational affairs and Maj. Gen. Harry Kosasih, who is
\nan assistant to the Army chief on operational affairs.<\/p>\n
Central Aceh Regent Mustafa Tami said the majority of people
\nin the five regencies were demanding the new province's formation
\nto free them from the ongoing conflict in Naggroe Aceh
\nDarussalam.<\/p>\n
"Pak Commander, now is the right time to release us from the
\ncontinuing grievance of having supported a unitary state," he
\nsaid before the military chief and local officials.<\/p>\n
A similar call was also aired before Coordinating Minister for
\nPolitical and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in a
\nsimilar dialog with local officials and religious and informal
\nleaders on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The new province was first proposed by the delegates of the
\nfive regencies in their meeting with Susilo in Jakarta early last
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
Susilo made a three-day visit to the region to seek input from
\nlocals before the government announces its new policy against
\nseparatism in the province on Aug. 19.<\/p>\n
Locals said the five regencies remained neutral in the issue
\nof separatism and would continue supporting a unitary state. They
\nsaid the military should support the proposed province to help
\nimprove their welfare and to prove they are against the Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM).<\/p>\n
Locals said their demand for a new province was based on the
\nreasoning that the five regencies differed from others from
\ncultural and ethnic perspectives.<\/p>\n
Munawir Rajali, 37, a furniture businessman, said cultural
\naspects in the five regencies were different from those in North
\nand East Aceh.<\/p>\n
"We want to form a new province since GAM is trying to force
\nthe implementation of Islamic law. People in the five regencies
\nare not serious about that," he said.<\/p>\n
Nazaruddin, a civil servant in the Central Aceh
\nadministration, voiced his pessimism on the proposed province's
\nability to finance its affairs since it had no natural resources.<\/p>\n
According to the regional autonomy law, the formation of a new
\nprovince entails a long legal procedure, legislation and in-depth
\nstudies, which involve the Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam
\nadministration and the central government.<\/p>\n
Endriartono did not give a direct response to the five
\nregencies' demand, but said all sides should stop any activities
\nthat affect the lives of Acehnese in the province.<\/p>\n
"It would be better to utilize development funds to improve
\npeople's welfare than waste them on idle (separatist)
\nactivities," he said.<\/p>\n
Endriartono warned GAM against using guns or violence to fight
\nfor targets, saying it would never solve the prolonged conflict.<\/p>\n
Thousands of civilians and soldiers have been killed since GAM
\ntook up arms in 1976 to fight for the province's separation from
\nIndonesia.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/demands-for-a-new-province-in-aceh-mounts-1447893297",
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