The ACSTF (Achehnese Civil Society Task Force) on Thursday (16/10/2014) conducted a final evaluation workshop of the election monitoring program in North Aceh which was held in Multipurpose Hall of Kec. Pirak Timu.
Activities from 10 am to 4 pm were also filled with materials on civilian groups in Aceh, discussions on the possibility of change, and discussion of Follow-up Plans (RTL). During the discussion, participants were divided into two groups. Groups that map matters and groups that map gaps to possible changes.
Participants from the first group raised crucial issues related to aspirations, space for participation and transparency in Aceh Utara. For example, the Timu Pirak area in the ExxonMobil mining area, almost all the issues of development inequality are there. Yet since tens of years ago they have demanded made irrigation so that the number of poverty and unemployment could decline.
The second group, presented by Andi Saputra, the Companion of the Tanah Luas community, concluded that there is little potential for natural resources and human resources that can be used as capital for change, including the many people in the Government who are still in good faith and wise behavior. According to him, Youth which included students, is the main pillar in a movement of change. "The possibility of such changes will not be lost including in Pirak Timu, unless the youths have stopped wishing," said Andi.
In closing programe, Amru representatives from ACSTF advised, "Youth who want to make changes must know when to where to. How to do what. "
Not only the ACSTF institutions, some other civil society groups also implement social and governmental improvement programs in Aceh. After the earthquake and tsunami and the cessation of the war in Aceh, funding for civil society institutions in Aceh flows easily from the average international institutions such as UN, Save Children, IOM, American Red Cross, Qatar Charity and others. But this is a story a few years ago.
In 2017, how is Aceh now?
Aceh became the poorest province in Sumatra.
Old problems are not finished, new problems continue to grow. While civil society groups are getting quieter. Every time I wake up to meet problems in the community, I miss the birth of a group of new youth who are compact and idealistic.
Thanks all of you Steemians.