Tony Hotland and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The government and the House of Representatives may allow independent candidates to contest local elections in Aceh, although the issue is not in the draft bill on Aceh governance.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who initiated the peace talks between the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), said legislators would explore the possibility of allowing independent candidates, when they started to debate the bill this month.
Kalla was responding to GAM's concerns that the bill drafted by the government did not include clauses on independent candidates. The bill does allow former GAM members to create independent political parties to contest elections.
"It's still a draft. The Helsinki peace accord doesn't specifically say anything about independent candidates, although the clause 1.2.2 could lead in that direction," he said.
Clause 1.2.2 of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by GAM and the government in August last year, states that "upon the signature of this MOU, the people of Aceh will have the right to nominate candidates for the positions of all elected officials to contest the elections in Aceh in April 2006 and thereafter".
"We put in the bill only things that are explicitly described in the MOU, and independent candidates are not," Kalla said.
A lawmaker said Kalla had been in favor of including independent candidates in the bill before it was submitted to the House, but Home Affairs Minister M. Ma'ruf disagreed.
Nasir Djamil of the Prosperous Justice Party, said he had been informed that home affairs ministry officials, who drafted the bill, failed to explain it properly to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, prompting him to decide to drop the independent candidacy clause but maintain the local party clause.
Nasir gave his support Friday to the possibility of independent candidates in Aceh elections, which he said would give former GAM rebels more opportunities to be involved in the political process. "We will officially propose the clause during the debate of the Aceh governing bill," he said.
Golkar legislator Ferry Mursyidan Baldan said central government should open the door to independent candidates in local elections because it would increase confidence in the peace deal. "There is nothing to be afraid of. The move will likely support the trust-building between the government and GAM after the signing of the MOU," he said.
Indra J. Piliang of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) agreed. He said the situation on the ground in Aceh along with the likely time constraints meant it would be difficult if not impossible for GAM to set up a local political party to contest this year's regional elections.
However, the years of strife in the region meant it was equally unlikely former GAM members would want to join national-based political parties, most of which had supported the government's war against GAM.
Currently, there are more than 18 vacant political positions in Aceh, including the post of the governor. The MOU stipulates that regional and provincial elections in the province should be held in April. However, the government has said this date may have to be moved back to June or July give the House more time to debate the bill. Lawmakers have a March deadline to pass the legislation.
GAM members have already made some preparations for the regional elections, including selecting likely candidates.