M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – The government will not grant amnesty to members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) who have been involved in criminal activities. Amnesty will be granted in the context of it being given to those who have been involved in the conflict in Aceh.

“Amnesty will not just be just [granted] automatically, there will be a study which will be the legal [basis for] considerations on those who are to receive amnesty. Amnesty will not be granted in the context of criminality”, explained the Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Widodo A.S., when stopped by journalists at the minister’s offices on Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat in Jakarta on Wednesday July 13.

Widodo explained that amnesty would only be granted to GAM members who agree to an end to the conflict in Aceh. Those who receive amnesty will automatically be able to rejoin their local communities and likewise have the same political rights as other civilians.

Meanwhile, with regard to GAM members who are nominated to run in regional elections in Aceh, Widodo said they must first receive amnesty. This is because after receiving amnesty, the requirements as contained in Law Number 32/2004 on Local Government such has loyalty to NKRI1, the state ideology of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution, don’t need be made an issue any more, except in cases where they have committed criminal acts which carry a punishment of five years jail.

Widodo also explained that with the system of laws and regulations that exist in Indonesia, forming local political parties in Aceh are impossible. “If for example we give the right [to form] local parties in one region, it will be questioned by other regions, because at the moment Aceh’s position is the same as other regions”, he explained. (asy)

Notes:

1. NKRI – Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia, the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. A term which is often used in the context of nationalism and the desire to maintain the integrity of the Indonesian nation.

[Translated by James Balowski.]