Govt vows to restore peace in Aceh by Aug. 17

Govt vows to restore peace in Aceh by Aug. 17

JAKARTA (JP): While the government may have doubts that it can
meet its own Aug. 17 deadline for a thorough settlement to the
Aceh problem, it has nevertheless promised to restore the
security needed by people in the province so that they can resume
living normal lives.

Speaking after a ministerial meeting led by Vice President
Megawati Soekarnoputri, Coordinating Minister for Political,
Social and Security Affairs Agum Gumelar described the
government's impending efforts as all being measures that would
bring about "a great improvement" in Aceh.

"We expect that people in Aceh will have the courage to
celebrate Independence Day, and that the basic needs of the
people will be fulfilled and all vital installations will be
fully operational by Aug. 17," Agum said.

Indonesia will celebrate the 56th anniversary of its
independence on Aug. 17.

Aceh has had no respite from violence since the Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) took up arms in the mid-1970's to fight for
Acehnese independence from Indonesia.

Agum said that the government would concentrate on non-
security development in the troubled province and continue the
peace talks with GAM.

An Indonesian delegation led by Hassan Wirajuda, the Director
General for Politics at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will
attend talks with GAM representatives in Geneva between June 30
and July 1.

Agum said that aside from the peace talks with GAM, the
government would also urge the House of Representatives to finish
its deliberations on the Aceh Special Autonomy Law by July 18.

The minister acknowledged that there were many problems,
especially in security field, hindering Aceh's economic and
social development.

"From the current reports on economic development in Aceh, we
can see that there are many problems that have to be dealt with,
and most of the problems are related to the security question,"
he remarked.

The meeting on Monday was aimed at evaluating the
implementation of Presidential Instruction No.4/2001 on Aceh,
which was issued in April and sets out how a peaceful solution is
to be brought about in the troubled province.

Regional autonomy is one of six issues on the agenda prepared
by the government to settle Aceh's problems. Others are based
upon the economy, social programs, law and order, the restoration
of security and the dissemination of information.

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Burhanuddin Abdullah
also admitted that there had been a slowdown in economic
development in the province and that growth had not been as fast
as the government had expected following the issuance of the
presidential instruction in April.

"We admit that there have been many delays in the
implementation of development in Aceh. These would not have
happened if the security situation were better. We will try to
speed up the development programs," Burhanuddin said at the press
briefing.

He said that under to the presidential instruction, the
government had allocated some Rp 7.7 trillion (US$700million)
from the state budget for the province, some Rp 6.9 trillion of
which was being channeled to the local administrations.

However, as of June only Rp 1.1 trillion of the fund had been
disbursed and the realization of many development projects,
according to the list of development projects in the province,
remained slow.

"We are still trying to finish the processing of some
contracts and are preparing some projects to be put out to
tender, especially in the technical departments," Burhanuddin
said.

He explained that the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry was
contributing 8.6 percent of the projects, Ministry of
Telecommunication and Transportation 28 percent and Ministry of
Manpower and Transmigration 29.8 percent.

"There has been some progress, but it was not as fast as we
expected, so the Vice President has stressed to us the need to
find solution to speed up the whole process," Burhanuddin
remarked.

Separately, Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh stated that so far
the planned economic program to empower the local people "just
did not work as the promised funds from the central government
have never been transferred."

Abdullah stressed that all that had been carried out in Aceh
was a massive law enforcement operation which many viewed as
being "excessive" as it was not followed up by economic
development projects for the province's traumatized residents.

"The fact here is that many development programs cannot be
carried out. Many factors are contributing to this situation, but
the most important factor is that the state funds haven't reached
us."

Abdullah also revealed that he had complained directly to the
relevant ministers about the sluggish disbursement of funds to
his administration.

"So let's hope that they (the ministers) respond to our
demands soon," Abdullah told reporters at his office. (50/dja)