Stance of some legislators

Stance of some legislators

From Media Indonesia

Some members of the House of People's Representatives from Aceh, led by Farhan Hamid, have recently rejected martial law in Aceh. They argued that the House's special committee on Aceh had recommended dialog not violence.

This reaction is confusing because these people do not react when the people of Aceh are terrorized, kidnapped or murdered by the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM). They also say nothing when GAM continues to take up arms despite negotiating with the Indonesian government.

Therefore, the stance of Farhan Hamid and his colleagues is worthy of a question. Do they really represent the people of Aceh who side with the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia or do they take sides with the separatists and the terrorists?

This question is quite natural, given that they are members of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, not the House of GAM. It is strange that these people have never been critical of GAM. So, they must make clear their stance before they can come forward with another suggestion, which will only provide more room for GAM to spread its influence.

Political parties must ensure, therefore, that candidate members of the House go through tight selection so that all of them will openly declare their clear stance.

HELMI RENDRA

Jakarta