Factions set to endorse Assembly's draft decrees<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): All factions in the People's Consultative
\nAssembly gave an initial agreement to nine draft decrees proposed
\nby the working committee on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The factions also agreed to form four commissions assigned to
\nfinalize the drafts, which include constitutional amendments,
\nState Policy Guidelines, the revocation of a 1978 decree on East
\nTimor and Assembly internal rules.<\/p>\n
There was unanimous approval from the 11 factions to revoke
\nthe 1978 decree making East Timor the country's 27th province,
\nafter 78.5 percent of voters in the Aug. 30 self-determination
\nballot in the former Portuguese colony rejected Indonesia's offer
\nof wide-ranging autonomy.<\/p>\n
\"For the sake of our recognition of human rights, we will let
\ngo of East Timor despite our disenchantment,\" Golkar said in its
\nstatement read by Immanuel Blegur.<\/p>\n
The United Development faction said Indonesia had no other
\nchoice but to accept the result of the ballot, unless it was
\nprepared to face international condemnation.<\/p>\n
But all the factions suggested that the decree be endorsed
\nonly after Portugal amended its Constitution, which places East
\nTimor under Portuguese sovereignty. They also agreed to take note
\nof irregularities in the popular consultation held under the
\nsupervision of the United Nations.<\/p>\n
The Golkar and Reform factions specifically recommended that
\nthe Assembly pay greater attention to Aceh and Irian Jaya, where
\nseparatist movements have been rife due to the unfair sharing of
\nrevenue from natural resources and instances of human rights
\nabuses.<\/p>\n
On the presidential election, the United Development faction
\nand the National Awakening faction suggested that the selection
\nbe held in stages. They said a president should be elected
\nthrough a vote, with a simple majority needed to win the top
\nexecutive post.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle faction supported
\nthe notion of a vote to elect a president, but insisted that the
\nAssembly deliberate to reach consensus on the matter.<\/p>\n
In its statement read by Ahmad Farhan Hamid, the Reform
\nfaction suggested that soon after the General Session, the
\nAssembly working committee shortlist deliberations on general
\nelections, national reconciliation, the new role of the military,
\nprocedures of the presidential accountability speech and a
\nspecial ruling to anticipate the resignation of a president or a
\nvice president.<\/p>\n
The Assembly members will be divided on Sunday into four
\ncommissions in charge of State Policy Guidelines, draft decrees
\nother than the State Policy Guidelines, constitutional amendments
\nand the presidential accountability report. The commissions will
\npresent the outcome of their deliberations on Tuesday. (02\/05)<\/p>",
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