Motion for referendum in Aceh wins debate contest<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A well structured and presented motion calling
\nfor a referendum on self-determination in Aceh gave the
\nUniversity of Indonesia (UI) the first prize in a national
\ndebating contest here on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The UI team comprising Briliantina, Curie and Adrian, won the
\ncontest in the first inter-varsity competitive debate in the
\nIndonesian language organized and hosted by students of
\nInternational Relations Studies of UI's School of Social and
\nPolitical Studies.<\/p>\n
They beat the all-women team of Sigin Dasa, Luluk M. and Nunuk
\nW.S. from Jember University in East Java in the final round which
\ndebated the motion that \"foreign intervention is justifiable in
\nthe name of democracy.\"<\/p>\n
As the proponent of the motion, the UI team called for United
\nNations intervention in Aceh to organize a referendum to end the
\nviolence in the restive province.<\/p>\n
\"When all other avenues to peace have been closed, should we
\nturn a blind eye to foreign assistance?\" asked Briliantina in her
\nclosing argument.<\/p>\n
In opposing the motion, the Jember University team doubted
\nthat a referendum would stop the violence in Aceh, using as an
\nexample the continued infighting among East Timorese since it
\nvoted to become independent last year.<\/p>\n
Luluk instead argued that the government of President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid should be given a chance to pursue peaceful
\nnegotiations to resolve the Aceh problem.<\/p>\n
The contest used the Australian parliamentary debate rules
\nwhereby each member of each team is given seven minutes to debate
\nhis or her points.<\/p>\n
Accusations flew, although they were circumspect. The UI team
\ncalled Jember University a bunch of xenophobics for opposing
\nforeign intervention, and the Jember students called into
\nquestion the UI team's intellectual capacity and sense of
\nnationalism for proposing such intervention.<\/p>\n
The contest follows the highly successful annual English
\ndebating competition by universities in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Three other teams taking part in the contest were from
\nMuhammadiyah University in Yogyakarta, and Paramadina University
\nand Budhi Luhur University, both from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
UI's English Debating Society, which assisted with the
\ncompetition, says it is helping to organize the first nationwide
\nEnglish debating competition among senior high schools in Jakarta
\nin November. (emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/motion-for-referendum-in-aceh-wins-debate-contest-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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