Bombs Color Election in Aceh
Tuesday, 12 December, 2006 | 14:11 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Lhokseumawe: The regional leaders election in Aceh were marrred by bomb explosions. Explosions took place at dawn yesterday (11/12) in Sawang, North Aceh. Two other bombs that did not explode were found by residents in senior high school I Sawang, around 500 meter away from the voting post location. There were no victims due to the incident.

Two bombs which the police could defuse were brought to the Mobile Brigade HQ Company 4 Jeulekat, Lhokseumawe City. Residents appeared to be unaffected by the incident. They still went to the voting posts. “The explosions were in fact far from the voting post,” said Azhari, 32, a local.

The police made certain that the bombs found by residents were assembled made of iron pipe filled with metal plates. So did the exploded bomb. According to Aceh Regional Police Chief ,Bachrumsyahh Kasman, the incident did not influence the voting. “There isn’t any voting post that did not work,” he said.

The Acehnese are actually enthusiastic about the direct regional leaders election that is being held for the first time. Serenity was the mood in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar. Streets, markets and offices were empty during the balloting. Residents had been waiting since early morning to vote . Moreover, local government set the day as a holiday.

Unfortunately not all Acehnese could vote. At least 420 residents of Aceh Besar could only watch the event because they were not listed as electors. This includes refugees in Kajhu and Alue Naga.

In Pusong Lama Village, Banda Sakti Subdistrict, Lhokseumawe, 350 people could not vote as they were not registered. “We’re disappointed, we already intended to win,” said Wati, a resident who could not utilize her voting right.

Residents protested to theBallot Organizer Group at a voting post. However the protest was fruitless. The committee still held on to the regulation that forbids unregistered people to vote.

MAIMUN SALEH (LHOKSEUMAWE), ADI WARSIDI (BANDA ACEH) AND IMRAN MA (ACEH UTARA)