Bill on special autonomy for Aceh proposed
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives (DPR) officially proposed a draft bill on Monday for the Special Autonomy of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, recommending the implementation of Syariah or Islamic Law for Muslims in the province, and a bigger proportion in revenue sharing between the central government and the restive province.
The draft states that the provincial court which would be named Mahkamah Syariah, would deal with all legal matters based on Islamic Law for Muslim citizens and Indonesian criminal law for non-Muslim citizens.
The implementation of Islamic law would be further determined by the local provincial legislature in the form of Qanun, which in other provinces is called city bylaw.
"The Qanun will also decide what punishment would be given to those (Muslims) charged with crimes," chairman of the bill special committee Ferry Mursyidan Baldan said.
The draft bill also proposes that the province receive 80 percent of the total revenue from the province's income from the agricultural and fishery sector, and 85 percent of the total profit gained from oil and gas businesses.
"After a 10-year period, the central government would receive at least a 50 percent share in revenue," the proposed bill states.
However, the House did not suggest a broader authority for the people of Aceh through the highest body which oversees Acehnese customs or Wali Nanggroe, rather, it would act as a symbolic institution that would have no practical power in the government.
"The main point of the proposed bill is not to provide extraordinary authority to the Acehnese, such as establishing an independent country within Indonesia," Ferry said.
The bill comprising 14 chapters and 30 articles suggests that Aceh (province) be changed into Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (province), as requested by the majority of the Aceh people.
The proposed bill also suggests that Wali Nanggroe be a nonstructural organization in the administration and a symbol of the preservation of (Acehnese) culture and tradition rather than be involved in any political decision making.
According to the bill, the province is allowed to arrange direct gubernatorial elections, whenever it is ready. But if the province is not ready, gubernatorial elections should be held by local provincial legislators, and the elected governor will, like other governors in other provinces, be sworn in by the (Indonesian) minister of home affairs and regional autonomy.
The province is allowed to chose its own provincial symbol and flag, but the flag must be hoisted alongside the national red-and-white flag.
The draft further states that the Aceh Police chief, who will be appointed by the National Police chief with the approval of the Aceh governor, is accountable to the governor of Aceh regarding security matters, including law and order.
32 killed
Meanwhile, it was reported on Monday that as many as 27 dead bodies were found on Sunday in Central Aceh.
An Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) worker Rahmad Syah said that most of the bodies, with gunshot and stab wounds, were found in various villages in the district of Bandar, some 30 kilometers from Takengon, the capital of Central Aceh regency.
"The bodies, which were unable to be identified due to the wounds, were buried in Pondok Baru on Sunday," Rahmad told The Jakarta Post by phone from Takengon on Monday.
Rahmad estimated that the people were killed about two days before their bodies were discovered.
In a related development, Wien Rimba Raya, GAM spokesman in Central Aceh said in a telephone interview on Monday that all the corpses in Bandar were of civilians, who were killed when the Indonesian Military conducted a sweeping operation in the villages on Friday.
Wien also accused the military of having torched a resident's house in Timang Gajah on Saturday, killing seven civilians inside the house.
Firdaus denied the accusations on Sunday, saying that it (the accusation) was just GAM propaganda and that all 20 people killed in Timang Gajah were GAM members.
However, chief of Aceh military operations Brig. Gen. Zamroni said on Sunday that the overall situation in Aceh was improving.
"The number of attacks on the (Indonesian) military and police stations has been decreasing. Interprovincial transportation from Banda Aceh to Medan has returned to normal, thanks to the concerted efforts of the military to maintain security." (dja/50/sur)