Full autonomy in Aceh and Irian still 'long way off'

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Full implementation of special autonomy in the strife-torn provinces of Aceh and Irian Jaya still has a long way to go as the government has yet to issue guidelines for autonomy laws granting special status to the two provinces, a Cabinet minister says.

Minister for Home Affairs Hari Sabarno told reporters in Jakarta on Friday that the central government has to issue implementation guidelines so that autonomy laws for Aceh and Irian Jaya can be implemented as soon as possible.

Hari said the government has to issue seven regulations for Irian Jaya and 24 for Aceh.

"Deliberations on those implementation guidelines are still going on, but it will take time because we have to hold interdepartmental discussions first, especially where regulations are related to political matters," Hari said.

He did not say how long it would take the government to draft those implementation guidelines.

In a bid to assuage the Aceh and Papuan people, who have long fought for a separate state from Indonesia, President Megawati Soekarnoputri enacted autonomy laws for Aceh and Irian Jaya in July and November respectively.

The special autonomy laws, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2002, provide the legal basis for the two provinces to have greater control over the regions' economy, politics and security, as well as the cultural and religious life of the people.

The laws cover revenue sharing for the oil and gas sector, where the regions are to receive 70 percent, the freedom to set up a people's council, freedom to have their own anthem and flag along with the Indonesian national anthem and flag, and the implementation of Syariah or Islamic law in Aceh.

Hari said the implementation of special autonomy in Aceh and Irian Jaya was currently limited to financial matters.

"The current implementation of autonomy law in the two provinces covers financial matters such as revenue sharing of the oil and gas sector in addition to the general allocation fund," Hari said after meeting Megawati.

"The right to have their own anthem, flag, cultural department and other political matters, needs separate government regulations or presidential decrees," he added.

On Irian Jaya's name, Hari said either Irian Jaya or Papua was legally acceptable as the name for the province.

"Legally, we can still use either of the two names," the minister remarked.

Separately, Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh said on Friday that the provincial council would finish the discussion on 24 bylaws to implement the special autonomy law of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

"The 24 bylaws will deal with, among other things, revenue sharing, security, and syariah. The regulations are scheduled to be issued this month," Abdullah said after meeting the President at the State Palace.

Abdullah said he also asked the President that the revenue sharing should go directly to the 2002 province budget.

"We calculated that Aceh could provide around Rp 4 trillion per year for the government from the oil and gas sector alone and the province will have 70 percent of the profit to rebuild Aceh," Abdullah said.