Alfian and Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – The legislative polls were held peacefully in the restive Aceh province, despite a volley of accusations of intimidation by local parties' members and supporters.

More than 3 million eligible voters went to more than 62,000 polling stations to elect their representatives for the House of Representatives, Regional Representatives Council, and provincial, regency and municipal legislatures. Unlike in other provinces, eligible voters here were more enthusiastic about casting their ballots because besides the 38 national parties, six local parties were also allowed to contest the legislative polls.

The presence of local parties was recommended in the 2005 Helsinki peace pact between the Indonesian government and the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to end the three-decade conflict that had claimed more than 2,000 lives.

The police, tasked with maintaining security and public order, lauded the peaceful and secure elections, and expressed hope that the upcoming presidential election would take place in a similar fashion.

"The Aceh Police chief has monitored the election in the province and, thanks be to God, no security threats have emerged so far," said Aceh Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Farid A Soleh. Voting went ahead peacefully in Cot Keueung, a former GAM stronghold in Aceh Besar regency, as voters showed up early in the morning at polling stations.

"We come here happily without any concern of intimidation. We are here because we want to cast our votes," said local resident Roukayah.

She added she was optimistic her vote would contribute to the province's development. "Every single vote counts and is important."

Cot Keueung was notorious as a "red area", a term used by locals to describe an area where frequent violence occurred. Roukayah said one of her brothers was murdered in front of her house during the past conflict.

Similar scenes of calm were also found in Seuneubok Meureudu village, East Aceh. "Everything is safe, as we conducted a night watch on Wednesday night," said local resident Sulaiman.

Marring the otherwise peaceful polling day were caustic accusations traded between Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf – a former GAM combatant and senior Aceh Party figure – and Deputy Governor Muhammad Nazar, chief patron of the SIRA Party.

Irwandi, who actively campaigned for the Aceh Party, claimed his party continued to face intimidation even on the last day of the election. "The Aceh Party's legislative candidates in Langsa and Aceh Pidie regency were intimidated by members of another party," Irwandi told reporters after casting his vote in Bandar Baru subdistrict, Kuta Alam, Banda Aceh.

Countering Irwandi's accusations, Nazar said SIRA had long since been the target of intimidation. "SIRA's observers in several regencies, including Aceh Jaya, East Aceh and Aceh Besar, were forbidden from coming to polling stations by one of the local parties," Nazar said, referring to the Aceh Party.

He added his party would file a report on the intimidation with the Constitutional Court. Besides the squabble between the governor and his deputy, the polls were also marked with some logistical problems.