Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – After a prolonged verification process, the government is set to approve 12 local parties to be registered with the Justice and Human Rights Ministry.
Local justice and human rights official Rajali Ubit said the 12 would be recognized once the administrative and legal requirements (set by the 2006 Aceh administration law) had been completed.
The parties were identified as the Darussalam Party, the Acehnese People Party (PRA), the United Acehnese Muslim Party (PPMA), the Aceh Party, the Gabthat Party, the Women's Caring Alliance Party (PARA), the Acehnese Meudaulat Party, the Local Aceh Party (PLA), the Sovereign Atjeh Party, the Peaceful, Prosperous Aceh Party (PAAS), the United Atjeh Party (PBA) and the SIRA Party.
The government's legal acceptance of local parties is one of several conditions in the 2006 law allowing them to contend the 2009 legislative and presidential elections.
Two parties failing the verification were the United Archipelagic Veranda Party (PSPNS) and the Acehnese Ummah Nahdatul Party (PNUA), because neither had branches in all regencies and municipalities in the province.
"After checking on the parties' paraphernalia, statutes and chapters, and their functionaries in regencies and municipalities, all 12 met the legal and administrative requirements in the 2008 political party law," Rajali said.
He thanked the former rebels for their readiness to comply with the Indonesian law in renaming GAM (Free Aceh Movement) the Aceh Party, with its revised flag and party symbols.
"The changes were made to comply with the Indonesian political system, and the peace agreement signed by the government and GAM in Helsinki on Aug. 15, 2005," he said.
Under the legal and administrative requirements, local parties are not allowed to have similar political paraphernalia such as symbols and flags.
Rajali said a government-backed team had verified the parties' organizations, functionaries and and their branches and units in regencies, subdistricts and rural areas.
Antara news agency recently reported that the verification process, which was postponed because of a funding shortage, had been conducted after the Aceh-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency provided Rp 540 million. The verification was originally scheduled to be completed in January.