Blessed with abundant resources, Aceh is now struggle to put almost three decades of armed conflict and the devastating tsunami behind it. It is taking bold steps into the future under the watchful eyes of the international community, with the province's first democratically-elected governor, Irwandi Yusuf, leading the way. The former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) member, who has been in his post since Feb. 8, spoke with The Jakarta Post's Stevie Emilia about his plans to develop the province, which was given greater autonomy under the 2006 Aceh Governance Law.
Question: What top-priority programs do you have in mind for Aceh?
Answer: My top-priority programs involve fighting corruption and reorganizing the administration's management system, including its leadership, to ensure clean, good governance. Then, I also plan to develop the economy at the grassroots level. Right now, most people in Aceh are at the grassroots level, they are the lowest class in the community, the one that is neglected and probably not included in development maps.
In the early phases of this program, I want to launch a labor-intensive program to provide as much work to as many people as possible and cut down unemployment levels. Many poor people do not have land and I want to include them in land reform programs.
If these programs are not successful I'll repeat the process and improve them, then we will move to a capital-based economy, say within the next two or three years. But this does not mean that if there is an offer for capital-based investment we'll say no. It means only that we're not after it at this moment. So if there are investors who want to work in Aceh, we will prioritize those that provide many job opportunities.
Why have you chosen these programs?
Aceh's unemployment rate is very high and I plan to lower it by 40 percent. The poverty rate is also very high in Aceh, at 49.7 percent of our 4.2 million people, and that is if we use the standard of earning US$1 a day. If we raise the standard to $2 a day, then the poverty rate would be 70 percent.
After developing a grassroots and capital-based economy, what is next?
After developing a grassroots, capital-based economy, say after five years, Aceh will aim for a scientific-based economy, but that's later. Within these five years, we will prioritize the two, grassroots and capital-based economy.
We will also pay attention to improving education. Nationwide, the government implements nine-year compulsory education. In Aceh, we will start 12-year compulsory education in 2008.
What is really happening at the grassroots level?
The problem faced by people at the grassroots level now is, first, that they have no access to capital. In reality, they do not need much money. They only need around Rp 5 million (US$543) to Rp 10 million each. But they still have no access.
Second, they have no access to the market, apart from local and traditional markets. They do not have access to international markets. Until now, if Acehnese people want to export products, they have to do it through Medan, North Sumatra, not directly through Aceh. The prices of products that belong to Acehnese are determined by big bosses in Medan, while the Acehnese are left unaware of the true price of their products.
When we manage to open up this isolation by providing direct access to international markets, without having to go through Medan, it will help cut down links in the distribution chain, the middleman. By doing this, we hope Acehnese products can be sold at a fair price.
In this case, I want to open up a direct, international shipping line, at least between Aceh and Malaysia. For this, we will improve our airport and port, but the thing is, we don't have ships.
What are your reasons behind creating a grassroots economy?
The correct way to develop the economy is to empower the people's economy, by improving their purchasing power. Currently, with ongoing post-tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction works, it seems as though Aceh's economy is stunning. A substantial amount of money reaches Aceh through the BRR (the Aceh-Nias Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency). But that's only on the surface. The money comes and then goes and is spent on the salaries of foreign experts and the rest. In Aceh, there's actually no money. It's like a big bubble, when it explodes, nothing is left.
Do you think the Acehnese people realize this situation?
Many people living in houses built for tsunami survivors are currently unemployed. Now, they probably get help, so there is no problem. But when the non-governmental organizations (NGO) leave and the BRR finishes its job, the situation will change. When this happens there will be drastic economic changes. If we do nothing to anticipate the matter from now on, Aceh might collapse.
What should be done then? What are the challenges for these programs?
The problem is there is no money. There is money, but not much. The province's budget this year is Rp 4 trillion and it will receive some Rp 6 trillion in special autonomy funds from the central government.
I want to use international support. I mean, currently, the many NGOs and UN bodies focus their works on tsunami relief. I want to divert the assistance little by little to also cover areas outside the tsunami-devastated areas, such as in post-conflict areas. Aceh's political stability depends on conflict-torn areas. If the people there are complaining or suffering from a "toothache", then it's dangerous (to overall stability in Aceh).
How do you picture Aceh, say within five years' time?
Aceh will be better and much more developed and there will already be middle-class people, although not high in numbers. But the most important thing is, I never say that I will make Acehnese people rich. I just wish poor Acehnese become less poor. I never say that I will take Acehnese to heaven, I just want to take some of them out of hell.