Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – A civil society group in Aceh has said Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's re-election will place the Acehnese people in an unfavorable position.
The groups say that while Yudhoyono's victory is a sign peace will prevail in Aceh, it will not help Acehnese people prosper or protect their identity, which they have held closely to.
"This means that the Acehnese people have been totally integrated into the national political mainstream.
This is part of political reintegration which is in line which the national political system," said Juanda Jamal, secretary of the Consortium of New Aceh in Banda Aceh on Friday.
Juanda said that implementing the peace treaty in Aceh had been done so ideally, so much so that the underlying issues related to the sustainability of peace were no longer relevant and would not be considered at the national level.
Besides that, Aceh would loose political bargaining power due to the different political character of the Acehnese people from other provinces.
Juanda expressed fear that during Yudhoyono's next term, the Acehnese people would no longer get special privileges and that issues in Aceh, including sensitive issues related to peace and development would be handled similarly to those in other provinces in Indonesia.
Sensitive issues related to the peace process would be regarded as a regional, and no longer a national issue, he said.
Of particular sensitivity are human rights issues, particularly the pending establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (KKR). Despite the fact that in accordance with the Helsinki MoU and Aceh administrative Law No. 11/2006 the comission should have been established years ago, its formation remains in doubt.
"An issue like this would not be important for Indonesia if the Aceh administration is unable to negotiate with the central government," Juanda said.
Political observers have raised doubts that the Aceh administration will be able to negotiate with the government given its poor performance over the past few years, especially under the leadership of Irwandi Yusuf, a former GAM leader.
Juanda cited the issuance of the Qanun local ordinances in relation with issues on the KKR and Human Rights Court in Aceh, according to Aceh political observer Otto Syamsuddin Ishak.
He expressed pessimism that Yudhoyono would work to resolve the underlying human rights issues related with to the implemantation of the Helsinki MoU and Aceh Administrative Law, and expressed concern Yudhoyono's administration would later try to make the KKR issue a local concern.