Law grants village chiefs extra powers<\/p>\n
Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Salatiga, Central Java<\/p>\n
The regional autonomy law will enable village-level formal
\nleaders to wield greater power, which endangers democracy in this
\nchanging nation, an expert says.<\/p>\n
Political observer Arief Budiman of Melbourne University,
\nAustralia, told a seminar here on Tuesday that heads of villages
\nand members of village consultative bodies (BPD) were prone to
\nelitist behavior despite the fact that they had achieved power
\nthrough a direct and democratic election.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, we should support social movements initiated by
\nthe grass roots to control their formal leaders who are suddenly
\nalienated from their constituents and who tend to pursue their
\nown interests,\" said Arief.<\/p>\n
The seminar on local politics was organized by the Percik
\nFoundation, which was jointly founded by lecturers of Salatiga-
\nbased Satya Wacana University, including Arief, six years ago.<\/p>\n
Also speaking at the seminar was Prof. Sutandyo Wignjosoebroto
\nfrom Surabaya-based Airlangga University.<\/p>\n
Arief said the political phenomenon at village level resembled
\nthat at regency level.<\/p>\n
\"Like councillors in many regencies in the era of regional
\nautonomy, members of village legislative bodies are easily
\ntrapped in power play by manipulating village regulations for
\ntheir own personal gain,\" Arief said.<\/p>\n
Law No. 22\/1999 on regional autonomy, which was implemented
\nearly last year, grants regencies and mayoralties the highest
\ndegree of autonomy. Although containing only a few articles on
\nvillage administration, the law states that villages, as the
\nlowest administrative level, are autonomous compared with
\ndistrict administrations.<\/p>\n
The law also stipulates the establishment of village
\nconsultative bodies whose members are directly elected by the
\npeople. The law also affirms the direct election of village
\nheads, which has long been adopted.<\/p>\n
\"In reality, members of BPD and village heads can make a
\nbackroom deal without the people's knowledge. They are entitled
\nto produce village regulations, for instance, to raise their
\nsalaries or incentives,\" Arief said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Director of Percik Foundation Pradjarta
\nDirdjosanjoto told The Jakarta Post that the implementation of
\nregional autonomy should also be followed by empowerment of local
\ncommunities in villages in a bid to improve their political
\nparticipation.<\/p>\n
\"Without these initiatives, regional autonomy won't produce
\nany advantage to the people except for the elite,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He added that empowerment of local communities should also be
\naimed at boosting people's capability to solve their own
\nproblems, such as social conflict, in their own way.<\/p>\n
The foundation runs a research institution and regularly
\ntrains junior researchers from various universities and research
\ncenters across the country.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/law-grants-village-chiefs-extra-powers-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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