PDI-P legislators petition court to reject peace deal

PDI-P legislators petition court to reject peace deal

Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A number of politicians have voiced strong criticism of the Aceh
peace deal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), with opposition
bloc the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)
demanding a court ruling to revoke it.

PDI-P has moved to file a motion with the Constitutional Court
against the peace accord for violating a number of laws,
including those on political parties, on special autonomy for
Aceh, on the central bank and on the Indonesian Military.

"There is no such stipulation awarding a region a 70 percent
share of revenue from natural resources. What will happen if East
Kalimantan, Riau or other rich regions demand the same
privilege?" PDI-P secretary-general Pramono Anung Wibowo said on
Wednesday.

He was referring to the peace agreement which ensures Aceh,
among other things, 70 percent of revenue from all current and
future hydrocarbon deposits and other natural resources in the
province.

The Indonesian government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed
the accord in Helsinki on Monday, after months of negotiation
facilitated by the Crisis Management Institute.

The MOU was officially made public only minutes after its
signing, but many legislators apparently had yet to be briefed
about its detailed contents as of Tuesday afternoon.

The House of Representatives had previously urged the
government to seek the advice of the legislature, which will play
a dominant role in implementing many of the MOU's key elements.

"I was shocked when I read the full contents as it's like
giving authority to Aceh to fully govern itself," chairman of the
PDI-P faction in the House Tjahjo Kumolo said.

The English version of the MOU was read out by Vice President
Jusuf Kalla during a consultation meeting last week, which was
attended by House leaders.

Speaking on the sidelines of the first House plenary session
of the 2005-2006 session on Tuesday, Tjahjo claimed that only
general information on the MOU had been provided and that copies
of the agreement had not been distributed to lawmakers.

He said he would call on the House to hold a session with the
government to explain the MOU and the reasons behind it.

An even stronger response came from Acehnese legislator Anhar,
from the Star Reform Party (PBR), who expressed his intense
disappointment over the government's failure to provide full
information on the MOU beforehand.

"This is almost like a state within a state as Aceh will be
granted full autonomy in all economic fields, something that
could cross the acceptable limits. GAM must be coordinating with
neighboring countries in the economic field," he said.

Anhar said that the level of autonomy being granted could in
time lead to a second Timor Leste, which voted for independence
from Indonesia through a United Nations-brokered referendum in
1999.

The chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) faction in
the House, Abdillah Toha, was restrained in his comments,
however, saying that he had yet to receive a copy of the MOU.

But there must not be provisions that could instigate envy in
other areas, he warned.

However, support for the peace pact came from Golkar faction
chairman Andi Matalatta as well as House Speaker Agung Laksono,
who is also from the Golkar Party, which is led by Vice President
Jusuf Kalla.

"Golkar maintains its support for all peace efforts, including
those designed to terminate conflicts with dignity. But the
government will need our approval when it comes to granting
amnesties and any amendments of the law," Andi said.

Constitutional Court President Jimly Asshidiqie said the MOU
would not be legally binding until it had been incorporated into
national law.

In his State of the Nation address to the House on Tuesday,
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono defended the MOU, saying the
government had "steadfastly followed a principled position,
namely, preserving the integrity of the Unitary Republic of
Indonesia".