'ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, POLITICAL FAIRNESS' KEY TO BETTER ACEH
The Jakarta Post - November 29, 2007
JAKARTA (JP): Economic and political authority needs to be shared equally in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam to ensure the brighter future envisioned at the signing of the 2005 Helsinki
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), experts on Aceh say.
"The root cause of the Aceh conflict was strongly related to the matter of unfair distribution of political power and economic welfare. Those two factors accumulated to create a regional conflict," Justice and Human Rights Minister Andi Matalatta told a seminar Thursday.
Andi said that despite some shortcomings, the MOU between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement signed on Aug. 15, 2005, in Helsinki, Finland, has provided a strong foundation to develop the equal distribution of economic and political authority in Aceh.
"For the implementation of the MOU, the Indonesian government has established Law No.
11/2006 on Aceh's Government," he said.
An economist from Syah Kuala University, Nazamuddin Basyah Said, said that for him, the law is the real peace agreement, because it is more comprehensive and regulates all aspects related to the management of Aceh, from economic to governmental matters.
However, the head of law and public relations of Aceh provincial administration, Hamid Zein, said there were some MOU mandates that still have not been implemented, even though they were stated in the 2006 law. He cited the establishment of the Human Rights Tribunal and the Truth and Reconciliation Commissionin Aceh as examples.
Source: The Jakarta Post - www.thejakartapost.com
