Acehnese want direct elections for officials

Acehnese want direct elections for officials

Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

The direct election of governors, regents and mayors in war-torn
Aceh as stipulated in Law No. 18/2001 on the province's special
autonomy status, has gained support from numerous sides and is
viewed as a way to regain people's confidence in the government.

A seminar on direct elections in the city on Tuesday featuring
academics, politicians and activists, recommended that the
provincial administration and legislative council give priority
to the issuance of rulings on several crucial issues, including
on direct elections, to implement the special autonomy law.

Humam Hamid, a political expert from Syah Kuala University in
the city, Ashari Basar, chairman of the provincial legislature,
Naimah Hasan, a local activist and Smita Notosusanto of CETRO
shared the opinion that the bylaw on direct elections should be
issued immediately so that the people could elect their own
leaders in the executive body in line with the implementation of
autonomy law this year.

They criticized the provincial administration which has not
yet drafted a bylaw on direct elections.

"The government will regain the people's confidence if they
are allowed to elect their leaders through a direct election,"
Humam hamid said in the seminar.

According to him, the situation in Aceh has worsened over the
last few years because of the lack of confidence in government
officials since they are appointed by the central government.

Ashari said that the provincial legislative council had
frequently proposed to Governor Abdullah Puteh to submit a draft
bylaw on direct gubernatorial elections but he had not acted on
it.

He vowed to fight for a direct gubernatorial election to held
as soon as possible.

Abdullah's term of office will end in 2004.

Smita called on the provincial legislative council to prepare
the draft ruling on direct elections so that it could be
implemented immediately.

Meanwhile, a poll conducted by the Foundation for Human Rights
Care in Aceh, Cetro and Kompas daily between Aug. 11 and Aug. 15,
2002, has shown that 91 percent of 1,114 respondents in 14
regencies and mayoralties in the province, supported the direct
election of members of the legislature and state officials.

Kamal Farza of the Solidarity for a Corruption-Free Society
(SAMAK) said on Wednesday that the recommendation of the seminar
and the poll showed that the Aceh conflict should not be seen
only from the security perspective.

"Both the seminar and poll show that there is a leadership
crisis in the province and not a security problem. It is better
to listen to what the people want to do rather than attempt to
stop the violence with guns," he said.