Aceh polls on target: Wiranto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense\/Indonesian Military (TNI)
\nCommander Gen. Wiranto pledged on Monday the elections would be
\nheld as scheduled in troubled Aceh, overriding calls for a delay
\nin polls and security concerns due to attacks and counterattacks
\nbetween the military and separatist rebels.<\/p>\n
The general said local government, military leaders and the
\nmajority of the people were determined to hold the elections as
\nscheduled on June 7 in Pidie, North Aceh and East Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"Elections must be held as scheduled in the three regencies.
\nThere is no reason to delay the elections just because of the
\nattacks (of rebels),\" Wiranto said after attending a meeting of
\nthe Council for Enforcement of Security and Law at Bina Graha
\npresidential office.<\/p>\n
The head of the Aceh Elections Committee Ahmad Farhan Hamid
\ndisclosed last week that only 13.6 percent, 22.5 percent and 61
\npercent of eligible voters had registered in Pidie, North Aceh
\nand East Aceh respectively.<\/p>\n
Wiranto reiterated his previous allegation that the Free Aceh
\nmovement, headed by Hasan Tiro, was responsible for the violent
\ncampaigns to boycott the elections in the province.<\/p>\n
\"This month alone they have launched 34 attacks against
\nresidents and security forces,\" he noted.<\/p>\n
The general urged people in the three regencies not to miss
\nthe opportunity to vote in the elections. He said TNI would not
\ntolerate any security disturbances during or after the elections.<\/p>\n
He cited several provinces, including Kalimantan, Maluku and
\nIrian Jaya, that were facing transportation problems during the
\nelections due to geographical constraints. He said he had ordered
\nthe deployment of military transportation means to transport
\nballot boxes and other poll equipment.<\/p>\n
\"Elections in Maluku also will be held on time, because the
\nsituation has much improved there,\" said Wiranto.<\/p>\n
More than 350 people have been killed in Maluku since
\nChristian-Muslim clashes broke out mid-January.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Gen.
\n(ret) Feisal Tanjung said he was surprised that violence in Aceh
\nrecently spread to West Aceh, where nine people were killed in an
\nambush by rebels.<\/p>\n
\"We are surprised, we never thought before that the calm
\nregency could be influenced by the Free Aceh movement,\" Feisal
\nsaid before the council meeting.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid agreed the elections
\nwould be held as scheduled in Aceh, although he did not rule out
\nthe possibility of a delay should an emergency arise.<\/p>\n
\"If the situation is not very conducive, it is possible that
\nKPU (General Elections Commission) will make an evaluation (and
\ndelay the polls),\" said Syarwan.<\/p>\n
Separately, chairman of the General Elections Commission
\nRudini said he would pay a last-day poll preparation visit to
\nAceh on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"A special team consisting of KPU members will monitor the
\npoll preparation in Aceh's three troubled regencies, namely North
\nAceh, East Aceh and Pidie,\" Rudini told the media on Monday.<\/p>\n
KPU has yet to decide whether to delay the polls in the three
\nregencies, Rudini reiterated.<\/p>\n
\"The commission will monitor the situation up until balloting
\nday. I will meet with Pak Wiranto as soon as possible to discuss
\nthe latest security condition in the areas,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, hundreds of migrants thronged to Banda Aceh, the
\ncapital city of Aceh, from Pidie, East Aceh and North Aceh,
\nAntara reported on Monday.<\/p>\n
Some of the migrants said they were seeking peace in the
\ncapital as their small towns were vulnerable to unrest.<\/p>\n
\"Shots are heard everywhere. Abductions and molestations are
\nrampant, forcing us to leave our villages,\" said a man who
\nrefused to be named.<\/p>\n
The chief of Greater Aceh Police, Lt. Col. Deddy Suryadi,
\nconfirmed the exodus to Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"We just made a sweep... on the border of Banda Aceh, and
\nfound the new arrivals from vulnerable North Aceh and Pidie,\"
\nSuryadi said.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Independent Election Monitoring Committee
\n(KIPP) protested on Monday KPU's decision to hold polls in the
\nthree regencies.<\/p>\n
\"Why push an election in those troubled areas? The KPU
\ndecision to continue the planned polls is proof that the
\ncommission is only thinking about the polls but neglecting the
\nsafety and security of the Acehnese,\" KIPP's Otto Syamsuddin was
\nquoted as saying by the news agency. (prb\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aceh-polls-on-target-wiranto-1447893297",
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