Referendum without options

Referendum without options

After his recent visit to Aceh, People's Consultative Assembly
Speaker Amien Rais said: "If the autonomy law is unsatisfactory
and the security situation in Aceh is not improved and the
people's suffering continues to worsen, anyone with a healthy
brain can predict there will be a referendum. Therefore it's not
now, but later." (The Indonesian Observer, Nov. 16, 2000). This
statement raises some questions.

A referendum requires at least two clear options, but so far
neither the government nor the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leaders
seem to be in a position to formulate their respective offers to
the people of Aceh.

First, whether the special autonomy status will meet the
expectations of the Acehnese will only be known after the
respective law has been introduced to them. Once the law has been
formulated, the government must make sure that every single voter
is given the chance to understand the implications of the special
autonomy status.

Second, the separatist rebels have been fighting for decades
for independence, but have failed to provide their fellow
Acehnese with a clear political program. The separatist leaders
want to establish an Islamic state ruled by the supremacy of
syariah (Islamic law), but they did not make any commitment
concerning fundamental human rights and the concept of democracy,
including freedom of the press, freedom of expression, freedom of
science and teaching, equal rights for women and the right to
free and democratic elections. How can the Acehnese voters be
sure that the impact of independence will serve their interests
and welfare? As Aceh is rich in natural resources, how can the
Acehnese be sure that certain elements are not using religion as
a tool for their own political and economic interests? President
Abdurrahman Wahid once said "... to become a good Muslim one need
not set up an Islamic state".

If Amien Rais' prophecy should ever come true and a referendum
prove unavoidable, one can only hope that by that time the
government and the separatist movement will have already revealed
their respective proposals in order to give the Acehnese the
opportunity to chose between two clear and credible options.

MRS. HILDE MAY

Jakarta