Dutch minister queries Aceh governor on security

The Jakarta Post | Fri, 02/27/2009 7:35 PM  

Visiting Dutch Justice Minister Hirsch Ballin was curious of the security situation in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) ahead of the legislative election in April, Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf said in Banda Aceh on Friday. 

"The Dutch justice minister is visiting Aceh to obtain first-hand information about the security situation and law enforcement in the run-up to the legislative election in the province," Irwandi said as quoted by Antara news agency. 

Yusuf said the Dutch minister also asked about the realization of the Helsinki peace agreement and Law No.11/2006 on Aceh province's administration. 

Speaking to reporters after a closed-door meeting with Hirsch Ballin, the governor said law enforcement in Aceh had improved significantly but the political atmosphere in the run-up to the elections was heating up. 

"I hope the situation will return to normal following President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's visit to Aceh last Monday," the governor said. 

When in Aceh to dedicate a number of infrastructure projects, President Yudhoyono said so-called Military Operation Area (DOM) and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) would no longer exist in Aceh. 

According to Irwandi Yusuf, the Dutch justice minister also asked about a plan to close the Europen Union representative's office in Aceh in conjunction with the end of the Aceh-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Board (BRR) program. 

In response to Hirsch Ballin's question, the governor said the Aceh provincial administration had never asked for the closing of the EU representative's office because the EU's presence in the province was to supervise the peace process after the Helsinki agreement and it had nothing to do with BRR. 

"We continue to expect the presence of foreign observers in Aceh during the election this year because according to point 127 in the Helsinki peace agreement, the 2009 election should be monitored by the EU," Yusuf said. 

He added the presence of foreign observers was much needed to ensure that the elections will run fairly, safely, and honestly.