By : Toni Ervianto *)

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, Election watchdog Aceh Elections Observer Coalition (KPPA) says it found 19 alleged violations during the election of regional heads in 16 areas across Aceh from Feb. 14 to Feb. 15. KPPA spokesperson Aryos Nivada said Bireun and Pidie regencies had the highest number of violations, recording four cases each.

Three violations were found in Aceh Besar while East Aceh recorded two cases. Meanwhile, six other areas, Banda Aceh, Langsa, Lhokseumawe, North Aceh, Pidie Jaya and West Aceh, recorded one case each.  Quotes by media, Aryos said monitoring was conducted in 16 regencies and municipalities considered vulnerable to fraud and election violations. They were also among the areas most prone to security threats.

Aryos admited that not all polling stations could be monitored because of limited personnel and funds. Among violations found were bomb threats ahead of the elections, intimidation of political rivals, local polling administrators (KPPS) attempting to influence voters, vote-buying, double voting and KPPS found to have not distributed C6 forms (invitations to vote).   

The KPPA said it would report its findings to the Aceh Voters Supervisory Committee (Panwaslih) and called on the Integrated Law Enforcement Center (Gakkumdu), especially the police, to follow up on the reports. 

Appreciated

Eventhough Aceh’s regional elections has been tainted with several violations such as bomb threats ahead of the elections, intimidation of political rivals, local polling administrators (KPPS) attempting to influence voters, vote-buying, double voting and KPPS found to have not distributed C6 forms (invitations to vote), we must be appreciated the successful of Aceh’s regional elections, because a violations didn’t trigger a mass brawl or uncertainty situation, and the situation of Aceh provinces since voting day on February 15th,2017 until today in good condition.

There are some of factors which make we must appreciate the successful of Aceh’s regional elections. First, every Acehnese has been reported to go to vote place with a big enthusiasm. It is a good sign which show to us that the progress of a political literacy in Aceh has been doing well.  Acehnese have done their rights to choose the next leader who can understand to Acehnese more better than the latest Aceh’s leader.

Secondly, an intimidation which had been happened in several regencies, it had been handled by a security apparatus and its would be brought to law enforcement process. Whoever had been done an intimidation, they must have strenght lawyer back-up if they won’t to be jailed in penintentiary. However, an intimidation on a political process didn’t a good sample for a political education to Acehnese youth.  Basically, an intimidation has just been done by un-educated person or groups which they won’t respect a people’s political choices.

Thirdly, from some an information sources, the allegation of bomb threats in Aceh during regional elections mostly is a rumors. The perpetrators who done those rumors, they would be made an uncertainty situation in Aceh. Every news of bomb threats in Aceh is handling by Aceh’s police, so that the rumors hasn’t done well and the publics didn’t  believe in rumors. The situation in vote-place in Aceh had been reported on good situation, because security apparatus had been done their task very well.

Fourth, vote-buying attempts is one of a political tricks to get people’s vote in the elections. A Vote-buying is an illegal and these actions has violated law, and whoever allegedly to do vote-buying could must punished for their actions to break the rules. A vote-buying is also reflected “a low political process” and in the Islam’s perspective, its actions is haram. So, whoever done these haram actions, they had broken sharia rules in Aceh provinces.

Must be watched

The result of Aceh’s regional election has been shown some interesting results such as in governor’s elections candidates likes Irwandi Yusuf-Nova Iriansyah might be beaten ex-GAM commander Muzakir Manaf-TA Khalid. The results might be reflected that ex-former combattan has never been choosen their former commander. It might reflects an internal problem disputes among GAM’s leader didn’t solve by Muzakir Manaf before regional elections in Aceh had been done.

Meanwhile, the defeat of several GAM’s candidates in several regencies such as at least in Aceh Barat Daya, Aceh Tamiang, Pidie, Banda Aceh, and Sabang have been shown that Acehnese want any development progress in their regencies, because the former leader has been failed to fullfil their expectations. So that, we can judge that Acehnese choices has based on a positive expectations and its could be shown that an intimidation or vote-buying in those regencies hasn’t been happened.

The people’s of Aceh will appreciate to candidates who lost in the recent elections but their concede it without a political and law complaint such as Sabang’s Major will be honored with Acehnese peoples, because they has been boring with a simultaneous conflicts in Aceh.

However, we must be appreciated whatever the results of Aceh’s regional elections, because it is a people choices which must honor by whoever. I think GAM’s member won’t be protested among the elections results, because if it done by them, they would be a common enemies for Acehnese people itself.

Finally, whatever the results of Aceh elections and whoever had been as a winner, it was showed that Acehnese would be ended the separatist era in Aceh. Hopefully. Salute for Acehnese.

*) political and security observer, stayed and worked in Aceh.

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