http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20041124.C01&irec=0
More Aceh areas to be opened up to foreign visitors
The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh, Jakarta
Citing better security conditions in Aceh after six months under a state of civil emergency, the provincial authorities have decided to lift its travel ban on foreigners in three regencies.
However, civil emergency administrator Insp. Gen. Bachrumsyah Kasman said his administration would still closely monitor the entry of foreign non-governmental organizations into the province.
Bachrumsyah said foreign tourists and investors would be allowed to enter Singkil, Southeast Aceh and Gayo Lues regencies,
"We are also considering allowing foreign ships to dock at Sabang port," he said, referring to the province's northernmost island, which was declared a free trade zone in 2000.
The decision follows a presidential regulation extending the state of civil emergency in the natural resource-rich province for another six months, effective from Nov. 19.
During the first six months of civil emergency, the provincial administration lifted the travel ban on foreigners in Sabang and Simeleue.
Aceh was closed to foreigners, including foreign journalists and NGO activists, during the martial law period from May 20003 to May 2004.
Bachrumsyah, who is also the provincial police chief, said he would discuss further with the governor, local military chief and prosecutor's office the possibility of allowing foreign NGOs to resume their activities in those regencies that had been declared open to foreigners.
"There is one condition, that the NGOs don't incite people in such a way as to worsen the conflict," he said.
In Jakarta, the House of Representatives claimed that it had never endorsed the extension of the civil emergency in the troubled province, saying that the support of the House leaders was given in their individual capacities.
The House defense commission decided during an internal meeting that it did not support the extension and, in fact, actually opposed it.
"The commission would like to correct the widely publicized news that the House has thrown its support behind the extension of the civil emergency. It is just not true," House member Permadi of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) told The Jakarta Post after the meeting.
Permadi also said that the commission had also agreed to revive the working group that had previously monitored the effectiveness of the state of civil emergency in the strife-torn province.
"This working group will visit Aceh and collect information about whether or not the Acehnese still need the civil emergency. The House should not only listen to what the government and non-governmental organizations have to say about conditions in Aceh," he said.
The House's opposition, however, will not make much difference as the government decision to extend the state of civil emergency does not need the approval of the House. An endorsement from the legislature is required only for the imposition of martial law.
Earlier in the day, all the factions in the House had been silent during a plenary meeting about the issue when House deputy speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno reported the House leadership's decision to approve the government's policy on Aceh last week. Only the Prosperous Justice Party faction raised an objection, doubting that the renewal of the state of civil emergency would achieve its desired objectives, and saying that it would only perpetuate the suffering of ordinary Acehnese.
More Aceh areas to be opened up to foreign visitors
The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh, Jakarta
Citing better security conditions in Aceh after six months under a state of civil emergency, the provincial authorities have decided to lift its travel ban on foreigners in three regencies.
However, civil emergency administrator Insp. Gen. Bachrumsyah Kasman said his administration would still closely monitor the entry of foreign non-governmental organizations into the province.
Bachrumsyah said foreign tourists and investors would be allowed to enter Singkil, Southeast Aceh and Gayo Lues regencies,
"We are also considering allowing foreign ships to dock at Sabang port," he said, referring to the province's northernmost island, which was declared a free trade zone in 2000.
The decision follows a presidential regulation extending the state of civil emergency in the natural resource-rich province for another six months, effective from Nov. 19.
During the first six months of civil emergency, the provincial administration lifted the travel ban on foreigners in Sabang and Simeleue.
Aceh was closed to foreigners, including foreign journalists and NGO activists, during the martial law period from May 20003 to May 2004.
Bachrumsyah, who is also the provincial police chief, said he would discuss further with the governor, local military chief and prosecutor's office the possibility of allowing foreign NGOs to resume their activities in those regencies that had been declared open to foreigners.
"There is one condition, that the NGOs don't incite people in such a way as to worsen the conflict," he said.
In Jakarta, the House of Representatives claimed that it had never endorsed the extension of the civil emergency in the troubled province, saying that the support of the House leaders was given in their individual capacities.
The House defense commission decided during an internal meeting that it did not support the extension and, in fact, actually opposed it.
"The commission would like to correct the widely publicized news that the House has thrown its support behind the extension of the civil emergency. It is just not true," House member Permadi of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) told The Jakarta Post after the meeting.
Permadi also said that the commission had also agreed to revive the working group that had previously monitored the effectiveness of the state of civil emergency in the strife-torn province.
"This working group will visit Aceh and collect information about whether or not the Acehnese still need the civil emergency. The House should not only listen to what the government and non-governmental organizations have to say about conditions in Aceh," he said.
The House's opposition, however, will not make much difference as the government decision to extend the state of civil emergency does not need the approval of the House. An endorsement from the legislature is required only for the imposition of martial law.
Earlier in the day, all the factions in the House had been silent during a plenary meeting about the issue when House deputy speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno reported the House leadership's decision to approve the government's policy on Aceh last week. Only the Prosperous Justice Party faction raised an objection, doubting that the renewal of the state of civil emergency would achieve its desired objectives, and saying that it would only perpetuate the suffering of ordinary Acehnese.