Economic assistance is being provided to victims of human rights violations in the Pidie, North Aceh, and South Aceh districts of Aceh as part of the government's efforts to seek non-judicial resolution for human rights violations.
"The community carries the burden of collective memories resulting from severe human rights violations, and I believe that we should address this through the development of the economic ecosystem," Minister Teten Masduki said in Jakarta on Tuesday (June 27).
The minister mentioned that they have collaborated with the Cooperatives and Small Business Enterprises Office in Pidie District to identify local and community potentials in the three districts during his visit to Pidie.
"We then organize assistance programs and develop business models through collaborations with the Ministry of Agriculture and other government agencies to utilize direct assistance through cooperatives," he stated.
Masduki highlighted that paddy, cocoa, and gnetum gnemon are some of the commodities with economic potential in Pidie.
The Beudoh Beusare All-Business Cooperative, consisting of 94 members, was also established in Pidie in 2009. It has the potential to be developed as a business medium for victims of human rights violations to empower assets obtained through government assistance, he noted.
The ministry has provided various forms of assistance to the cooperative based in Pidie to strengthen their grain production, cattle farming capacity, Islamic savings and loan business, partnership with rice mill cooperatives in the district, and rice product development.
He mentioned that the Ministry of Agriculture has also provided assistance to individual victims of human rights violations in the form of handheld tractors and 30 cows.
"We have also deployed assistant workers through the modern cooperation program to the Beudoh Beusare Cooperative to assist in developing their business plan, providing assistance for cattle farming, and facilitating the consolidation of cattle assistance recipients and the implementation of the farmers' cooperative business model," Masduki remarked.
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Translator: Kuntum Khaira R, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Anton Santoso
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