With the exception of Aceh, RI sees peaceful election

With the exception of Aceh, RI sees peaceful election

The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh/Jayapura/Ambon

Violence marred polling day on Monday in several parts of
Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam in an apparent attempt to disrupt the
election, while people cast their votes peacefully in three other
troubled areas of Poso, Papua and Maluku.

Suspected rebels shot at least two election officials in Blang
Rheum village, Jeumpa subdistrict, Bireun regency, at around 6:30
a.m.

"The attackers must be GAM (Free Aceh Movement rebels),"
Bireun Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Handono Warih said.

The victims -- Muhammad Nasir and Abu Bakar -- were taken to
hospital after the attack on a poll booth in Blang Rheum.

In Lhokseumawe, soldiers beefed up security by enforcing
checks on vehicles traveling to and from the town, known as a
stronghold of separatist rebels.

A number of military trucks tightly patrolled several
locations in Lhokseumawe to guard polling stations.

The military also deployed three Bolco helicopters equipped
with rockets to monitor the situation in Lhokseumawe amid the
elections.

In East Aceh, at least seven children were seriously wounded
after a grenade exploded at midday as local people cast their
votes in Paya village, Lipah subdistrict.

In general, the legislative election ran smoothly across Aceh
despite GAM's recent move to oppose it.

At least 567 former rebels being trained at a military camp in
Reuleut village, Kuta Makmur subdistrict, North Aceh, voted in
the election.

In the neighboring subdistricts of Sawang and Seuneudon, vote
counts were not carried out at village poll booths for security
reasons.

In Papua, the election was smooth and peaceful despite a
recent attack by a group of 20 men on local Panwaslu official
Asriadi Kani and policeman Brig. Anwar while the two were
dropping off equipment for the election.

Papua Police Insp. Gen. Timbul Silaen said Asriadi survived
the ambush on Saturday in the remote area of Okaba, Merauke
regency.

But the fate of Anwar remained unknown.

Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Daud Sihombing said security
officers released Asriadi along with 10 other residents who had
been abducted by the attackers.

However, one victim Cornelis Silooy had been found dead, he
said.

Sihombing said the police were investigating the incident and
hunting the attackers, believed to be members of the Free Papua
Organization (OPM).

In Maluku, which was once wracked by sectarian fighting,
people cast their ballots peacefully and as scheduled after fears
of delays blamed on a lack of election equipment.

Earlier at 9 p.m. on Sunday, two Merpati and Hercules planes
landed in Pattimura Airport in the provincial capital Ambon,
dropping off an additional 14,000 ballot papers for Tual in
Southeast Maluku, and Saumlaki in Northeast Maluku.

"(Due to) the arrival of the additional ballot papers, the
election in Maluku should run simultaneously and there will be no
voting delays," Maluku Elections Commission (KPUD) chairman Idrus
Tatuhey said.

Similarly, people in Poso enjoyed a peaceful and smooth
election amid tight security following threats by unidentified
people to disrupt voting day.

"Praise be to God, the local government's goal of making the
election in Poso exemplary for other conflict areas has been
achieved," said local administration spokesman Abdul Haris
Rengga.