Acehnese participate in 'direct election' for local leaders

Acehnese participate in 'direct election' for local leaders

Kanis Dursin, The Jakarta Post, Aceh Tamiang, Aceh

Neiti Sumiarti could not hide her joy when asked about her
feelings after participating in a public debate before an
audience of some 300 people at the Rencong Assembly Hall in
Tamiang, East Aceh on Monday.

"I'm very glad to have participated in this activity. I
strongly support a direct election for heads of local
administrations," said Neiti, a civil servant with two children.

Neiti, in her late 30s, was among three aspirants in an
election campaign simulation co-organized by the Tamiang-based
Ma'arif Education Foundation and the Jakarta-based Center for
Electoral Reform (Cetro) in Tamiang, East Aceh, last Monday with
the aim of promoting a democratic, direct election for regents,
mayors, and governor there.

Trust in political parties, which burgeoned ahead of the 1999
elections, is waning, but enthusiasm for better representatives,
at least in this part of the troubled province, is high.

Tamiang, a small town some 400 kilometers east of Banda Aceh,
was chosen to host the simulation as it was one of five Aceh
regencies established in July 2002. The other four are Gayo
Luwes, Aceh Jaya, Aceh Barat Daya and Nagan Raya. Their
establishment brings the number of regencies in Aceh to 20,
including four mayoralties. To date, the five newly created
regencies have acting regents only, with no legislature members.

Under law No. 18/2001 on special autonomy status for Aceh, the
province's governor, regents, and mayors are all to be elected
directly by the people. The provincial government, however, is
yet to enact a bylaw or qanum of the law.

In the public debate exercise, facilitated by noted
sociologist Imam B. Prasodjo, the three pairs of regent and vice
regent candidates were asked to spell out their vision, mission
and work programs to the audience.

"I want to run for the position of regent because I want to
fight for the rights of marginalized Acehnese in general, and
Aceh Tamiang people in particular," Neiti said confidently.

"I want to create a secure, harmonious and peaceful Tamiang,
and promote human rights and legal supremacy," Neiti's running
mate Zakaria Hassan added.

"If I get elected, I will ensure that the regency's resources
are used for the greater benefit of Tamiang people," said
Mohammad Enda R., 25, another regent aspirant.

Ridwan H.S., the third regent candidate, said, "I have dared
to run for the regent post because I want to join hands with
Tamiang people in developing the regency."

When the question-and-answer session came, the audience stood
on their toes, all wanting to pose questions to the contestants,
but there was only time to take three.

The questions ranged from how they would make themselves known
to how they would go about bringing peace to the troubled
province, where the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has been fighting
for independence since 1976.

Last Sunday, the candidates held campaigns in five senior high
schools in Tamiang regency, explaining their vision and mission
for the regency and work programs if they got elected.

Before the public debate, a discussion on a direct election
was organized, featuring legislator Ahmad Farhan Hamid, who is
also chairman of the Reform Faction in the House of
Representatives (DPR), Aceh councillor Muchlis Muchtar and
sociologist Imam.

"Direct elections for regional administrations are one of the
remedies for the Aceh conflict," said Muchlis, adding that GAM
fighters believed there was political injustice in the province,
as the public was not involved in selecting its leaders.

"They (the leaders) have no legitimacy in the eyes of the
people because they don't represent the people's interests," said
Muchlis, urging provincial administrations and legislatures to
issue a bylaw on direct elections for regents and mayors as
stipulated in Aceh's special autonomy law.

During peace talks in Geneva, Switzerland, in May, GAM and the
government agreed to use the autonomy law as the sole basis for
any peace talks in the future.

Farhan, meanwhile, regretted that the Aceh provincial
government had not followed up the special autonomy law by
enacting a bylaw on direct elections. This is believed to be one
of the ways to end Aceh's bloody conflicts, where armed clashes
between government troops and GAM fighters have killed thousands
of people, mostly innocent civilians.

Imam stressed that a direct election was merely a means to net
quality leaders who were committed to improving the welfare of
Acehnese people.

Neiti urged the government to issue a bylaw on direct
elections, so that by next year people could directly elect their
own leaders.

Whoever got elected as Tamiang regent, Neiti said, he or she
would have to address the regency's two main pressing issues --
land certification and the quality of tuition for elementary and
high-school students.

Asked about what she learned from the exercise, Neiti said, "I
now realize that one must have a specific program before running
for the post of regent."