No interference in Aceh People's Congress: Minister

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Minister of Human Rights Affairs Hasballah M. Saad assured on Thursday the government's neutrality in the long-awaited Aceh People's Congress (KRA) slated to be held in mid-May.

"The government will not meddle with the preparations or the results of the congress. We will leave it up to the Aceh people," Hasballah said during a meeting with the Indonesian Teachers Union (PGRI) on the eve of the first joint military-civilian trial of human rights case here on Wednesday.

"The government will only hope that KRA will be the highest democratic forum for Acehnese to further decide the province's future," Hasballah said.

However, the government will reply to any recommendation resulting from the congress by forging a team comprised of a number of ministers and related officials, Hasballah said.

"We hope a dialog between the government and congress representatives will occur in order to end the violence in the province, as well as supporting a fair political solution," the minister said.

A week-long congress was originally slated to start on April 22 -- just two days after the opening session of the joint tribunal -- but was delayed by the chairman of the event committee, Tengku Syech Syamaun Risyad, who claimed there was too little promotion to make it worthwhile.

Reports, however, said that people were made nervous by the large security presence which was aimed at safeguarding the joint trial on the Bantaqiah murder case along with the widespread violence in Banda Aceh and neighboring Aceh Besar regency.

Organizers have not set a new date for the week-long congress, which was initially slated to be attended by around 1,500 participants, including representatives from the moderate wing of the Malaysian-based Free Aceh Movement Administrative Council.

GAM's armed wing commander Tengku Abdullah Syafi'ie has rejected the congress because "KRA has been interfered with by Jakarta". He said if the congress went forward, GAM would call for a mass strike.

Hasballah, however, expressed guarded optimism that the congress would run in a democratic way and be free from intimidation and fear.

"Every district in Aceh is free to appoint their representatives. So it will be fair to everyone," he said, adding that apart from the congress, the government had been holding unofficial talks with GAM leaders on the future of Aceh.

Violence, however, continued to rock Aceh. In Tapak Tuan, South Aceh, one man was killed and two others injured when gunmen raided a house in the village of Berudang around 7:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Sgt. Maj. Abdul Wahab and First Sgt. Haswari were shot to death by unidentified gunmen in separate frays in Banda Aceh and Peusangan district in Bireuen hours after the joint tribunal on Wednesday, police said.

In Lhokseumawe, North Aceh, a grenade blast injured three soldiers late on Wednesday. No details were available, however. (50/51/edt)