Aug 17, 2006

Acheh: Peace Deal, One Year On


One year has passed since the Indonesian government and separatist rebels from the Free Aceh Movement (Gam) signed a peace deal to end nearly three decades of fighting in the province. In the below press release of BBC News, people from across Acheh give their assessment of the year so far.
One year has passed since the Indonesian government and separatist rebels from the Free Aceh Movement (Gam) signed a peace deal to end nearly three decades of fighting in the province.

Here people from across Aceh give their assessment of the year so far.

M KAHAR, TEACHER IN AN ISLAMIC SCHOOL, BANDA ACEH

Life is very good these days. We are very happy because of the ceasefire and wherever we go now, we feel this happiness.
There is no longer any fear in our region because there is such a thing as peace.
Before the peace agreement of last year, we would be afraid when travelling the roads outside Banda Aceh. Now, we can go everywhere and the violence we used to see in our district is no more. Before, I was never able to go and visit my father-in-law. He lived in a remote area.The situation was not very good. But with the reduction in violence, life has become freer.

I think the tsunami was important. It changed the attitudes of people, so everyone wanted to make peace in our region. Now, I think there is a good chance for us to progress.
I know there are worries about exactly how much autonomy we have.

Because I am a teacher, I don't care about autonomy and about what the government do and what is happening with the peace accord. As a teacher, my primary desire is that peace prevails so the education system can run smoothly. We need education in this country. It is important for our future peace.

IRAWAN ABDULLAH, POLITICIAN, ACEH

Promises have not been fulfilled.
The Indonesian government and Gam have different perceptions of the results of the negotiations of last year. Gam was hoping for more powers, more recognition, but they never got it.

After years of war and the tsunami, there was finally hope for Aceh. There was hope that our people could be better educated, would get a chance to progress. But I see little of that now. I feel that the government of Indonesia has broken its promises to Aceh.

Aceh has no money, we don't have enough local power to make decisions about the money that is due to us. We feel that the riches of Aceh are going to be diverted to Jakarta. I feel angry because it feels as if Indonesia has taken money that we should have. Even though Aceh has peace and autonomy, Aceh will remain poor.
Perhaps the only way to deal with this is to press even harder for full independence. It's very difficult to get that and I don't see the government of Indonesia will do that. Maybe Aceh needs full independence. It will be very difficult to get more independence for Aceh but I think this is what the people want.
Alternatively, Jakarta must give us greater financial control so people like myself, who have the representation of local people, can make decisions about the people in our own area.

NASRUDDIN ABU BAKKAR, ADMINISTRATOR, BANDA ACEH

I feel good. Thousands and thousands of people have come to Banda Aceh for a major demonstration. We are campaigning on the deal about Aceh's government. Peace has been good but we need more. We feel there are many problems with the deal, many crucial points relating to how government works, relating to authority.

We need to be clear about where the real authority with Aceh lies. The government kept all the authority. Indonesia, Jakarta is the master. We need change so the balance of authority is given to Aceh.
We want to force all the parties and campaigning groups to pressure the Indonesian government to back our demands. We don't want them to change their mind on the peace deal. We want them to do right by us. If Indonesia doesn't listen to our demands for greater autonomy, for greater power over our own regions, then the Acehnese will come to know about their true intentions.