2006年VOA标准英语-Revised Aceh Autonomy Law Under Fire

By Chad Bouchard
Jakarta
11 July 2006

Indonesia's parliament has passed a bill to extend political autonomy for Aceh, but human-rights activists¹ and former Achenese rebels say the law does not satisfy a 2005 peace agreement.  The conflict has revived tensions between Jakarta and Aceh's separatist movement.

The bill expands Aceh's control over its natural oil and gas resources, allows former rebels to form their own political party, and confirms autonomy over local affairs.

But Acehnese leaders say the bill was weakened as it made its way through the legislature. They say the law erodes² local control over international aid, and is too vague about the role of the Indonesian military. A provision that would create human-rights tribunals has also been cut back.

Leaders of the Free Aceh Movement say they will file a formal complaint with international monitors of the peace process about the bill.

Aceh Recovery Forum³ Director Ahmad Humam Hamid says failure to agree on the law threatens to hamstring progress in rebuilding Aceh.

"I think first of all both the government of Indonesia and the movement should say that they're okay with the law. One of the basic principles is that both the government and the movement are going to see the new law governing Aceh," he said.

Aceh's 29-year war for independence from Indonesia, which killed an estimated 15,000 people, stalled soon after the Indian Ocean tsunami⁴ decimated the region in December 2004. More than 130,000 Aceh residents died and 500,000 were left homeless in the disaster.

Conflict over the law could further delay elections originally scheduled for April this year.

Diplomats⁵ and activists involved in monitoring the peace process say the Indonesian House of Representatives should not dilute⁶ Aceh's powers.

Hamid says he expects a compromise on the law, but he is concerned that growing distrust in the troubled province will take a long time to resolve.

"I think the basic requirements are there, but now the idea is how are we going to show the Acehnese, how we are going to demonstrate to the Acehnese, that this law is workable, this law is recommendable, and this law will give a lot of good things for the Acehnese and for the state of Indonesia," added Hamid.

In contrast to the violent past, leaders of the Free Aceh Movement say they will use legal means to challenge the legislation.

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 erodes   

侵蚀，腐蚀( erode的第三人称单数 )； 逐渐毁坏，削弱，损害

参考例句：

• The sea erodes the rock. 海水侵蚀岩石。
• The sea erodes the land. 海洋侵蚀陆地。

3 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

4 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

5 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 dilute   

vt.稀释，冲淡；adj.稀释的，冲淡的

参考例句：

• The water will dilute the wine.水能使酒变淡。
• Zinc displaces the hydrogen of dilute acids.锌置换了稀酸中的氢。