Clash in Aceh, calm elsewhere
The Jakarta Post, Aceh/Palu/Papua/Ambon
Sporadic gunfights and alleged voter intimidation marked the historic presidential election on Monday in war-torn Aceh, but National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said the security situation remained generally calm in conflict areas throughout the country.
Armed clashes broke out in the morning in Alue Merbau Idi Cut hamlet in Darul Aman, a subdistrict about 20 kilometers west of East Aceh capital Langsa, when a group of Free Aceh Movement (GAM) militants ambushed a convoy of policemen securing a delivery of ballot boxes.
Spokesman for the civil emergency administration Sr. Comr. Anjaya said the skirmish lasted only a few minutes. No casualties were reported, and the police succeeded in distributing the ballot boxes.
Later in the day, police arrested one of six alleged GAM members who mingled with the crowd gathered at a polling station in Lamreh Krueng village, Aceh Besar.
Anjaya did not elaborate on the actions of the six alleged separatists before their arrest, but claimed the rebels were in possession of two firearms.
He also accused GAM of intimidating voters of Keude Dua village in Idi Rayeuk subdistrict, East Aceh, as its polling station stood empty until it closed.
The provisional vote tally in Aceh saw Amien Rais and running mate Siswono Yudohusodo leading in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh and in East Aceh, North Aceh and Aceh Taming regencies.
Security authorities deployed no less than 12,000 policemen and 22,000 soldiers to maintain security in Aceh on election day.
Meanwhile, locals in Central Sulawesi province, which had been the site of sectarian conflict until recently, were moved to exercise their right to vote by high expectations for a new leader who could bring security and peace.
"If I did not vote for my preferred leaders, I would regret it for the rest of my life," said Elia, 35, a villager from South Birobuli, South Palu.
"In this first direct presidential election, I voted for the right candidates, and it felt great because I was free to do so," she said.
A similar excitement was voiced by Roy Mananta, 33, a villager from Baliase in Morawali subdistrict, Donggala.
"In the past, we knew beforehand who would be president. But now, we will have to wait until the vote-count ends to know which candidates have won the people's trust," Roy said.
The province saw tight competition between Golkar's Wiranto- Solahuddin, the National Mandate Party's Amien-Siswono and the Democratic Party's Susilo-Kalla in the initial count.
In Papua, traffic was more deserted than ever as people traveled to polling stations to cast their votes.
Maria (not her real name), 17, said she was happy to vote for incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri out of a sense of gender unity.
In the Maluku capital of Ambon, where clashes killed at least 40 people in April, security was relatively relaxed, although most makeshift polling booths were guarded by armed police.
"I have to do my duty and vote. I hope the next government can end the conflict," said Daniel Putiray, 56, a retired civil servant in Maranatha, a Christian part of Ambon, as quoted by Reuters.