Radzie, Banda Aceh – The Preparatory Committee for the Acehnese People’s Party (Komite Persiapan Partai Rakyat Aceh, KP-PRA) will hold its first congress between February 27 and March 2. Following the congress, the party will be declared as the first local political party in Aceh. Some 450 members will participate in the congress, which according to plans will be opened by Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf at the Aula State Vocational School in Banda Aceh.

According to the chairperson of the congress organising committee, Rahmat Djailani, the congress will discuss the party’s platform, principles, statutes, rules of association and future program. In addition to this congress participants will elected a party chairperson and general secretary.

Rahmat said that currently there are four candidates that have emerged to contest the position of party chairperson, Thamrin Ananda (currently the chairperson of the KP-PRA), Aguswandi (the former secretary general of Student Solidarity for the People, SMUR), Raihana Diani (chairperson of the Women’s Organisation for Aceh Democracy, ORPAD) and a leader of a traditional Islamic boarding school located in West Aceh.

“The pesantren leader was put forward by comrades from the western beach area and South Aceh”, said Rahmat when speaking with Aceh Kita on Thursday February 22.

Following the congress on March 3, the PRA will be declared as a local political party that will enliven the democratic climate in Aceh following the Helsinki peace deal. Rahmat claimed that the PRA had already fulfilled the requirements to be registered as a local political party with the Department of Justice and Human Rights. The PRA currently has branch offices in 16 regencies/municipalities in Aceh.

“We are ready and will continue to provide for all of the requirements to register with the Department of Justice and Human Rights. Later after the local political party’s leadership board has been affirmed, it will be registered immediately”, said Rahmad, who is also the chairperson of SMUR Aceh.

Rahmat added that the PRA is being established as a means to struggle for the wishes of the middle- and lower social classes in Aceh, who represent their mass base of support.

KP-PRA chairperson Thamrin Ananda meanwhile said that the presence of local political parties in Aceh is extremely important at the moment. “The Acehnese people currently need a political tool, no longer a mass organisation, to bring change to Aceh’s social order,” said Thamrin when speaking with Aceh Kita.

According to Thamrin, up until now politics in Aceh have been controlled by long-term and older people, who cannot possibly create meaningful change in Aceh. “The PRA sees that there is a need to change the political reality that has existed up until now”, he said.

In order to create such change, the first congress will discuss the PRA’s program and political tasks. Thamrin said that the PRA is taking up issues to create an Aceh that is modern and self-sufficient economically. This is important said Thamrin, to improve the welfare of ordinary people.

“If for example we are talking about foreign investment, it must be mutually beneficial. So investors benefit, the regional government benefits also”, said Thamrin who is also the chairperson of the Acehnese Popular Democratic Resistance Front (FDPRA). “There must be a balancing of shares between investors and the regional government”, he said.

Because of this therefore, the PRA is urging the Aceh Regional House of Representatives to enact a by-law on foreign investment that sides with the ordinary people and not just with business. [dzie]