Governors call for greater role in autonomy<\/p>\n
Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam<\/p>\n
Governors from 29 provinces went ahead with their first working
\nmeeting here on Wednesday, in an apparent show of support for the
\nongoing joint operation against the separatist movement in the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
Security was tight, with the Aceh martial law administration
\ndeploying some 1,200 police and military officers, several tanks
\nand three helicopters to guard the three-day event organized by
\nthe Indonesia Provincial Administrations Association (APPSI).<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno also attended the
\nmeeting that began on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
"The government's decision to impose martial law on Aceh on
\nMay 19, 2003 to destroy separatism here is the best solution,
\nalthough not a popular one," APPSI chairman and governor of
\nJakarta Sutiyoso said without elaborating.<\/p>\n
Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh noted in his speech that the
\ntight measures were "the Aceh military administration's way to
\nwelcome the guests."<\/p>\n
During the meeting, the governors collected some Rp 15 billion
\n(US$1.7 million) in donations for Aceh's education budget.<\/p>\n
"We'll give a priority to education, either to rebuild
\nschools, to procure stationary or to pay for the school fees,"
\nSutiyoso told reporters.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of school buildings in the province were burnt down
\nshortly after martial law was declared.<\/p>\n
Puteh welcomed the donation, saying that over 15,000 students
\nwho had lost their parents in the conflict could not afford to
\npay for their education.<\/p>\n
He said that the funds would be used to rebuild some schools.<\/p>\n
"Each school building will be named after a province that
\ndonated the money," Puteh said, adding that some 549 out of 607
\nschools had been rebuilt.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso said that the association's first meeting in
\nconflict-torn Aceh, would be followed by its second meeting in
\nMaluku, which is just now recovering from a bloody religious
\nconflict in recent years.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the meeting has produced several recommendations,
\nincluding a recommendation that the central government revise Law
\nNo. 22\/1999 on regional autonomy.<\/p>\n
"The revision should not be aimed at withdrawing autonomy in
\nsubstantial matters," Sutiyoso cautioned.<\/p>\n
Association members bemoaned the autonomy law, which they said
\nhad obscured their roles. Following the issuance of Law No.
\n22\/1999 on regional autonomy, the central government tends to
\ndeal directly with regency and municipal administrations,
\nbypassing provincial administrations, leaving the latter in the
\ndark about many policies or interactions between the central
\ngovernment and regency and municipal administrations. The same is
\ntrue concerning the flow of funds from the central government to
\nregencies and municipalities.<\/p>\n
The association has therefore demanded that the government
\ndraw a clear guidance on their roles and status.<\/p>\n
Andi Mallarangeng, a member of APPSI's board of advisers, told
\nreporters that the demand for a revision of the autonomy law was
\nunderstandable.<\/p>\n
"Since the law took effect, governors feel they have been
\nbypassed," he said, adding that there must be a way to
\nsynchronize the distribution of power between the central
\ngovernment and regional administrations.<\/p>",
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