M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Prospects of a lasting peace in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam appear stronger after the House of Representatives and the government accommodated long-standing demands of locals in the nearly finalized Aceh governance bill.

Following more than six months of intense deliberations, the working committee set up by the House to finalize the bill accorded Aceh greater autonomy in managing its own affairs, including administering its abundant natural resources.

Among the stipulations is that the provincial government has the right to manage the exploration of oil and gas in the province.

"All political factions in the House have agreed on this provision because they realize that oil and gas in Aceh are almost depleted and the Acehnese have the right to manage it," Ahmad Farhan Hamid of the National Mandate Party (PAN) said Thursday at a press briefing organized by the Partnership for Governance Reform.

He is the leader of Acehnese lawmakers who took part in the deliberation of the bill.

The working committee had finished the discussion of 98 percent of the bill late Wednesday, leaving only insubstantial matters to be completed.

According to the latest draft of the bill, the Acehnese also will be given the right to manage seaports and airports.

Acehnese have long harbored resentment toward the central government, which they perceive as merely exploiting their natural resources for its own gain.

The working committee and the government also agreed on the allocation of a special autonomy fund amounting to 2 percent of the general allocation fund (DAU) for a 20-year-period.

"We had to haggle with Communication and Information Minister Sofyan Djalil as the representative of the government before agreeing on the figure. The government always wanted a lesser amount of funds for a shorter period," Farhan said.

Other crucial provisions agreed to by the working committee are the implementation of sharia in Aceh, the setting up of a rights tribunal and truth and reconciliation commission, the powerful standing of sharia-derived ordinance (qanun) as well as permitting independent candidates and local political parties to contest local elections.

None of the factions in the House, including the nationalist-leaning Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle and Christian-based the Prosperous Peace Party, opposed the implementation of sharia in the province.

It also was agreed that the rights tribunal and truth and reconciliation commission would be set up according to the existing law, a compromise after heated debate about applying a retroactive principel.

Representatives from the Aceh local council, the institution that campaigned for a greater autonomy, said the bill now accommodated the demands of most Acehnese.

"Ninety percent of our aspirations, mainly on the natural resources issue, have been accommodated in the final draft and that's a good sign for peace, because every rebellion in Aceh stemmed from the unequal distribution of resources," Acehnese councillor Adriman Kemat said.

Fellow councillor Azhary Basar, however, advised the government to consult the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) before passing the bill into law. "Most GAM members still think that politicians have watered down the Helsinki peace accord," Azhary said.

Key provisions in latest draft

• Management of the exploration of oil and gas under the provincial government
• Special autonomy fund of 2 percent for a 20-year period starting in 2007
• Rights tribunal and truth and reconciliation commission will be set up according to the existing laws
• Independent candidates will be allowed to contest local elections
• Local political parties can be formed with 30 percent of subscription from women Suggestions from working committee
• The provincial government has full control of land administration
• The provincial government has full control over Islamic schools previously under the Religious Affairs Ministry.