Acehnese People Question Oil & Gas Rights
Wednesday, 21 June, 2006 | 18:16 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Elements of the Acehnese people, including the Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) and the Aceh Traditions Council (MAA) met with the Aceh Government Draft Bill (RUU PA) formulation team at the Hotel Santika, Jakarta, yesterday (20/6).

“All DPR factions indicated their commitment to give entirely what was best for Aceh, but instead the government didn’t,” Raihan Iskandar, NAD DPRD Deputy Chairman, told Tempo after the meeting.

The government’s commitment is doubted, he said, because there are some clauses that state the management by regional government must still follow the norms and standards set by the central government.

The government’s continuing interference, said Bahrum M. Rasyid, Head of the United Development Party (PPP) NAD DPRD faction, would hinder the Aceh government from performing its duties.

He cited the Aceh Regional Budget that cannot be implemented because it contradicts the Home Affairs Ministerial Decree on Aceh regional finance evaluation.

Badrul Zaman, Head of the MAA, said that he believed the government’s attitude of seemingly not wanting to hand over full authority is a form of its distrust for Aceh due to the experience of the past.

According to him, this attitude will instead cause negative effects.

Oktamandjaya Wiguna