Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – Six local Aceh parties now eligible to contest the 2009 elections, are determined to make a clean sweep of the 96-seat provincial legislative council, now dominated by national political parties.

The Aceh Party (PA) representing ex-combatants and leaders of the closed-down Free Aceh Movement (GAM) said it was optimistic it could win 80 percent of provincial legislature seats as part of its attempt to reform the government of the province.

PA spokesman Adnan Beuransyah said his party would revamp the provincial administration to enable it to speed up economic development and democratic change.

"Our main target is to revamp the provincial administration and change its official symbol, anthem and flag in accordance with the peace agreement signed in Helsinki on Aug. 15, 2005. Then, the party will fight for remaining points in the peace agreement which have yet to be implemented," he said.

Adnan said his party was consolidating its position with officials and supporters in regencies and municipalities, without violating the 2008 election law.

"This consolidation includes recruitment of former rebels and GAM leaders to sit in the provincial legislative council," he said.

PA chairman Muzakir Manaf called on all party officials and members to focus on the consolidation program and to improve preparedness for the legislative election.

Acehnese People Party (PRA) secretary-general Thamrin Ananda said his party had to be realistic in adopting its target of 17 seats in the provincial legislature, but that it would work hard to improve its representation at regency and municipality level.

"With this realistic target, we will be able to influence the provincial government's policies and fight for pro-poor budgets and government policies," he said.

The PA and PRA are two of six local parties that passed the verification process conducted by the Independent Election Commission (KPA), which was set up under the peace agreement.

The election commission successfully held the first-ever Aceh gubernatorial election in 2006 which was won by current governor Irwandy Yusuf and vice governor Muhammad Nazar. The two, both former rebels, contested the election as independent candidates and won a convincing majority of votes to give them a five-year mandate to lead the province until 2011.

Four other local parties were named as approved, including the Safe and Prosperous Aceh party (PAAS), the Acehese People's Independent Aspiration (SIRA), the United Aceh Party (PBA) and the Aceh Sovereignty Party (PDA).

The six local parties were announced as being eligible when 34 national political parties passed the General Elections Commission (KPU) verification process.

Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) representative Erwin Schweissheim hailed the six local parties as part of post-conflict political reintegration in the province.

"With the emergence of local parties, Aceh is expected to maintain peace, develop a true democracy and improve the people's social welfare," he said. He said that FES has been involved in several programs, including political reintegration, labor training and a women's program, to help implement the peace agreement.

He said so far up to 500 ex-combatants and GAM leaders have been educated on Indonesia's political system, constitution, law and the unitary state, while other young men and women were trained in small-scale enterprises to allow them to integrate into society.

The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said that it regretted the intimidation and beating by Aceh Party cadres of PKS party staff in Pidie Jaya, saying the police should investigate thoroughly to avoid such incidents on the eve of the general election.

"A PKS member named Zulfikar was beaten during a protest over the presence of a PKS office in the regency," he said.