Peace-maker issue drives Aceh voters

Hotli Simanjuntak , The Jakarta Post , Banda Aceh | Mon, 07/06/2009 9:46 AM | Headlines

The presidential and vice presidential debates, particularly on the peace-maker issue, have considerably influenced the Acehnese and led them to rethink their preferred candidates.

The change in the political preference is mainly due to the establishment of peace by the government in the country’s westernmost province, which both President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his rival Vice President Jusuf Kalla have claimed credit for during their political campaigns.

According to Asmara Nababan, former National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) secretary general, the establishment of peace in Aceh had given Yudhoyono the edge rather than Kalla.

Both the Aceh Party, which was established by former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels, and Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party, won the most votes in the April 9 legislative elections.

“Most Aceh Party voters are likely to vote for the SBY-Boediono pair at the July 8 presidential elections since many former GAM members are now supporting the SBY-Boediono pair,” Nababan recently said.

However, Kalla has also trumpeted his role as the main player in the Aceh peace process conducted at the mediation in Finland.

Regardless of the two both having claimed the establishment of peace in Aceh, the Acehnese themselves will vote for the candidate whom they think will be the best for the continuation of peace in the province.

Kartina, a resident of Luthu Dayang Krueng Village from Aceh Besar, said the security issue had been the major concern for her and her fellow villagers.

“Peace in Aceh is the most important thing and must be secured and taken care by whoever our next president will be. The next country leader must be able to accept the aspirations of Aceh people to keep the peace,” she told The Jakarta Post.

Kartina said she still had not recovered from the trauma she had experienced throughout the three-decade conflict that killed at least 2,000 Acehnese.

She admitted her political preference changed after she watched the candidates debate the peace issue.

“I was sure about one candidate, but now I’m not anymore. I am now in a hard situation since all candidates are showing their strengths and weaknesses,” Katrina said, refusing to mention the candidate she was referring to.

Meanwhile, the Aceh Besar branch of Independent Election Commission (KIP) in cooperation with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) held Saturday a polling and vote-counting simulation in Katrina’s village.

Akmal Abzal from the KIP said the simulation aimed to ensure successful polling in remote areas in Aceh. (bbs)