Special status final for Papua and Aceh: Susilo<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government told the provinces of Papua and Aceh on Monday
\nthat the special autonomy status accorded to them in January 2002
\nwould be final and any move to secede from the country would not
\nbe tolerated.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in his year-end news briefing that
\nthere was no room for the two provinces to hold a vote of self-
\ndetermination like East Timor.<\/p>\n
Papua, the country's easternmost province, has been fighting
\nfor separation from Indonesia since the 1960s, while Aceh,
\nIndonesia's westernmost province, has been struggling for
\nindependence since 1976. Thousands of innocent civilians have
\nbeen killed in both conflicts.<\/p>\n
To appease the rebels, the central government introduced in
\nJanuary 2002 a special status for the two provinces, under which
\nthey can, among other things, retain up to 70 percent of the
\nrevenue derived from natural resources.<\/p>\n
The special status, however, has been outrightly rejected by
\nrebels in both provinces, who insist that they would not settle
\nfor anything less than independence.<\/p>\n
The government signed on Dec. 9 an agreement with the Free
\nAceh Movement (GAM) to end all hostilities in the troubled
\nprovince. GAM, however, has not dropped its demand for
\nindependence.<\/p>\n
Susilo stressed on Monday that the government was determined
\nto maintain the country's territorial integrity.<\/p>\n
"There are three major points that have become top priorities
\nfor next year and those are maintaining the existence of
\nIndonesia as a state, keeping national integration and rebuilding
\nIndonesia," Susilo said.<\/p>\n
He also said that the government would closely monitor the
\nimplementation of special autonomy in Papua and Aceh.<\/p>\n
"Together, we also have to monitor local administrations in
\nthese two provinces to make sure that the special autonomy is
\nable to raise the standard of living for both Papuan and
\nAcehnese," Susilo said.<\/p>\n
He also warned the political elite not to exploit people at
\nthe grassroots level in conflict-torn areas, such as Maluku, Poso
\nin Central Sulawesi, and the border area of Atambua in West Nusa
\nTenggara, for the sake of their political interests ahead of the
\n2004 general election.<\/p>\n
"The elite's maturity in democracy is needed so that possible
\npolitical conflicts at the top level will not affect the
\ngrassroots," he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/special-status-final-for-papua-and-aceh-susilo-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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