Aceh referendum

From Media Indonesia

The wish of the Acehnese people to hold a referendum should not be responded to rashly by the government. The Aceh case is not a problem merely about equitable distribution of prosperity, which in fact never took place during either Old Order or New Order rule. What is happening is connected to the efforts to bring about disintegration by the Free Aceh Movement in the frame of the old claims of DI/TII of the time of the Old Order. Thus, whatever the government offers as a compromise will not easily be accepted before the Acehnese obtain independence.

Offering to hold a referendum in Aceh would certainly see a repeat of East Timor, which resulted from the mistake of the Habibie government. The option of special autonomy being offered is not very clear. And there is also the option of independence. The option of special autonomy should first be tested in a region as a pilot project.

If a referendum takes place in Aceh, all provinces in Indonesia could demand the same. If it is possible in Aceh, why not in other provinces? The criteria of a special region are no longer determined by declarations given by former governments.

I appeal to the government especially, and to the people who wish to separate from the Republic of Indonesia, to be aware that we should be one in garnering forces to confront the West, which is rejoicing in dividing our nation and wishes to destroy the emergence of Islamic forces from Indonesia.

Y. RABKI

Bandung