Many balk at working the polls in Aceh<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Escalating intimidation by groups of people
\nseeking to boycott the June 7 general election in Aceh has forced
\nresidents to refuse to be poll workers, a local official said on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
The revelation came amid growing discussions about the
\npossibility the elections might be delayed in several trouble
\nspots including Aceh, as Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen.
\nWiranto hinted also on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Election authorities both in the province and in Jakarta have
\nbeen considering a poll delay in the province in response to
\ngrowing violence between the military and alleged members of the
\nFree Aceh separatist movement.<\/p>\n
"At least in two regencies, Pidie and North Aceh, people have
\nbeen refusing to become poll workers," head of Aceh Elections
\nCommittee Ahmad Farhan Hamid told The Jakarta Post from the
\nprovincial capital of Banda Aceh by phone.<\/p>\n
Calls for a referendum on self-determination and an election
\nboycott have been the strongest in Pidie, North Aceh and East
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
The regencies of Pidie, North Aceh and East Aceh had been the
\nworst affected by a decade of anti-rebel operations during which
\nthe military was accused of widespread human rights abuses.<\/p>\n
At least 15 people, including 11 military and police
\npersonnel, were killed in two separate outbreaks of violence in
\nNorth Aceh and West Aceh in the past week.<\/p>\n
Ahmad said there would be about 700 and 1,500 polling stations
\nin Pidie and North Aceh respectively where at least seven people
\nwere needed for each station.<\/p>\n
"Just imagine how many people we have to recruit. We have
\nnever faced anything like this before," Ahmad said.<\/p>\n
He said the local elections committee would meet with 38
\npolitical parties campaigning in the two regencies later in the
\nweek to discuss the matter.<\/p>\n
Reports said political parties have skipped campaigning in the
\nprovince for fear of attack against their activists.<\/p>\n
At least three cars belonging to political parties and an
\noffice of the ruling Golkar party in the North Aceh capital of
\nLhokseumawe had been attacked and set on fire.<\/p>\n
Separately, Wiranto told reporters in the TNI headquarters in
\nCilangkap, East Java, that polling was due to go ahead on the
\nscheduled date across the whole country.<\/p>\n
"But for several regions, and not only in Aceh, if from a
\nsecurity viewpoint holding a free and fair election is
\n(dangerous), then the elections could be delayed for some time,
\nup to one month," he said.<\/p>\n
Wiranto said a delay might be needed in only three of the 12
\nregencies in the province.<\/p>\n
Wiranto's statement was different from his remarks on Monday
\nthat the election would proceed as cheduled in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Hasballah M. Saad, deputy chairman of the National Elections
\nCommission, said the decision on whether the polls will be
\ndelayed in Aceh would be made on June 6.<\/p>\n
"If on June 6 the situation is still worrisome and the people
\ndo not feel safe to vote we will decide to delay the vote," he
\nsaid on the private SCTV television.<\/p>\n
"The election commission deems it unethical to conduct a vote
\nwhen the people are threatened," he said.<\/p>\n
Commenting on separatist calls in Aceh, Wiranto said they had
\nbeen made by the Free Aceh movement.<\/p>\n
"But we are in the basin of the republic and no one in the
\nrepublic has the right to declare independence from the country
\nthey love," Wiranto said.<\/p>\n
He pledged stern action against separatists, whom he charged
\nhad attacked government institutions and destroyed buildings
\nwhere voting would take place.<\/p>\n
"So, we must make sure their efforts to disturb the process of
\nelections will not be tolerated... to ensure that the poll will
\ngo on in Aceh and everywhere else," he added.<\/p>\n
Wiranto also defended the military decision to send more anti-
\nriot troops to Aceh ahead of the elections.<\/p>\n
"Don't think the addition of troops to any province
\nconstitutes an abuse by the military or the police, it is merely
\nobeying a call of duty to ensure safety in that region for the
\npeople's interest," he added.<\/p>\n
Students and rights activists have been demanding the military
\npull out from Aceh. They said the military presence in the
\nprovince has only created a climate of fear.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Antara reported from Banda Aceh capital city that
\ndozens of students staged a demonstration outside Governor
\nSyamsuddin Mahmud's office expressing their rejection of the
\npoll.<\/p>\n
To the governor, the students said the elections should not be
\nheld because of the worsening security condition in the province.
\nBefore dispersing peacefully, the students also demanded the
\nmilitary pull out from Aceh. (byg\/rms)<\/p>",
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