Zainal Bakri, Lhokseumawe – The National Elections Commission (KPU) in Aceh has stated that as of Saturday afternoon, March 6, no foreign election observers – either organisations or individuals – have arrived in Aceh. This is despite the fact that the election campaign will begin on March 11. “There is not a single election observer who has informed [us] that they have entered Aceh”, said Ridwan Ishak, a member of the Aceh KPU.

As has been reported, a number of parties have expressed doubt that the elections in Aceh will run smoothly and without intervention by certain parties. This “abnormality” is because Aceh is under a state of marshal law.

In order to overcome the problem, the central government and the Aceh emergency military commander (PDMD), Major General Endang Suwarya, said they are providing leeway to foreign election monitoring teams who wish to enter Aceh, as long as they first have permission from the PDMD.

Acehnese citizens and social figures support the presents of these foreign monitoring teams. “Foreign observer will been given an opportunity to see a genuine and fair democratic [process in Aceh]. But we hope that they will not come to Aceh to worsen a situation which has [now] begun to improve”, said Yusuf Ismail Pase, a regional legislative candidate originating from North Aceh.

[Translated by James Balowski.]