Referendum without options<\/p>\n
After his recent visit to Aceh, People's Consultative Assembly
\nSpeaker Amien Rais said: \"If the autonomy law is unsatisfactory
\nand the security situation in Aceh is not improved and the
\npeople's suffering continues to worsen, anyone with a healthy
\nbrain can predict there will be a referendum. Therefore it's not
\nnow, but later.\" (The Indonesian Observer, Nov. 16, 2000). This
\nstatement raises some questions.<\/p>\n
A referendum requires at least two clear options, but so far
\nneither the government nor the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leaders
\nseem to be in a position to formulate their respective offers to
\nthe people of Aceh.<\/p>\n
First, whether the special autonomy status will meet the
\nexpectations of the Acehnese will only be known after the
\nrespective law has been introduced to them. Once the law has been
\nformulated, the government must make sure that every single voter
\nis given the chance to understand the implications of the special
\nautonomy status.<\/p>\n
Second, the separatist rebels have been fighting for decades
\nfor independence, but have failed to provide their fellow
\nAcehnese with a clear political program. The separatist leaders
\nwant to establish an Islamic state ruled by the supremacy of
\nsyariah (Islamic law), but they did not make any commitment
\nconcerning fundamental human rights and the concept of democracy,
\nincluding freedom of the press, freedom of expression, freedom of
\nscience and teaching, equal rights for women and the right to
\nfree and democratic elections. How can the Acehnese voters be
\nsure that the impact of independence will serve their interests
\nand welfare? As Aceh is rich in natural resources, how can the
\nAcehnese be sure that certain elements are not using religion as
\na tool for their own political and economic interests? President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid once said \"... to become a good Muslim one need
\nnot set up an Islamic state\".<\/p>\n
If Amien Rais' prophecy should ever come true and a referendum
\nprove unavoidable, one can only hope that by that time the
\ngovernment and the separatist movement will have already revealed
\ntheir respective proposals in order to give the Acehnese the
\nopportunity to chose between two clear and credible options.<\/p>\n
MRS. HILDE MAY<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/referendum-without-options-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }