A number of Acehnese political detainees were serving their prison terms outside Aceh province.Banda Aceh, Aceh (ANTARA News) - Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf said resolving the Acehnese political detainee problem would have a positive impact on and strengthen peace in the province.
"We are doing our best to convince the central government that resolving this problem will strengthen peace in Aceh within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia," he said here Friday.
Speaking at a meeting with activists of the Acehnese Political Detainees Forum , he said he remained committed to convincing the central government to release the detainees.
A number of Acehnese political detainees were serving their prison terms outside Aceh province, he said.
"I personally keep in touch with Law and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar for talks about this matter. Minister Patrialis Akbar has promised to find a solution to it," he said.
At the meeting, the chairman of the Acehnese Political Detainees Forum, Saiful, said the government and other elements in Acehnese society were expected to help resolve this matter.
Like people in general, the Acehnese political detainees were also ordinary people who needed jobs and socio-economic certainty in their lives, he said.
They need to be released very soon, he added.
Peace had returned to Aceh, Indonesia`s westernmost province, following the signing of peace accord between representatives of the Indonesian government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in 2005.
A year after signing the peace agreement, the people of Aceh conducted their first regional elections, which ended with the victory of Irwandi Yusuf, a former GAM member.
Since then, Aceh province has been relatively peaceful and its economic development given a real start.
In 2010, Aceh received Rp14.5 trillion from the central government for its budget implementation entry lists (DIPA) or increased about four trillion rupiah from the amount of 2009 DIPA fund.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
