Women's Political Forum Created in Aceh
Tuesday, 13 June, 2006 | 13:06 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Banda Aceh: Several Acehnese women’s figures declared the Aceh Inong League (Lina) in Banda Aceh, yesterday (12/6). The league will accommodate the political participation of Acehnese women, including Inong Balee, who fought with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) before the peace agreement.

Lina's initiators are Shadia Marhaban (wife of William Nessen, a US journalist); Dewi Muthia (wife of M. Nazar, former Board of Aceh Referendum Information Center-SIRA Chairman); Cut Fatma Dahlia, and Maryati. According to Shadia, Lina was established so that Acehnese women can have political participation in formulating their lives and expressing their aspirations. In the past, she said, nobody was concerned over the lives of Inong Balee and women who were victims of a conflict.

In addition, the league is also aimed at building the capacity of Acehnese women to the maximum in order to evoke Acehnese women's self-esteem such as they had previously. “Acehnese women became queens, leaders, and also thought about the nation,” said Shadia. She said there will be training for Acehnese women, including politics and the English language.

Shadia stressed that Lina is not projected to be a local political party in Aceh or to join the regional leaders’ election. “There are no concepts that lead to a political party,” she said.

Maryati said, Lina opened all networks to regencies/cities and districts in Aceh. Several potential areas that Lina penetrates are Aceh Besar, North Aceh, Lhokseumawe, and Bireun. Other areas including East Aceh and Takengon.

Leena Avonius, a staff member of the reintegration of the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) who also joined the declaration, regards the concepts held by Lina as positive because Lina supports the process of peace and reintegration programs in Aceh.

Adi Warsidi