Four EU observers arrive in Aceh

INDONESIA: Four foreign observers from the European Union (EU) arrived on Saturday in Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh, and announced their readiness to monitor the election in the war- ravaged province.

They will observe election proceedings in a few designated "safe" spots determined by the martial law administration in Aceh. The four observers were identified as Paul Horsting, Paavo Pitkanen, Peter Robin Roston and Katelijne Hermans. They are scheduled to stay in Aceh until Friday.

As soon as they arrived in Banda Aceh, they reported to the martial law administrator, the police and the Banda Aceh General Election Commission (KPUD).

In addition to the EU observers, there will be other foreign monitors in the province, including at least two Japanese embassy staffers, identified only as Wakabayasi and Miakawa, who are expected to fly in on Sunday, said KPUD spokesman Nasir Zalba.

Foreign observers are acutely concerned with the vote in Aceh, and whether the election can proceed in a peaceful, free and fair manner, since Aceh has been under martial law for the last 11 months.

Several other groups of international election monitors have already arrived in other parts of Indonesia, including the former hot spot of Maluku. -- JP