After shootings, police to watch Aceh election

The National Police’s top detective says that elections can proceed in Aceh, despite a rash of shootings.

“Based on reports from the Aceh Police, the conditions there are still conducive for an election. Of course, we will still need to monitor security. There will be officers on guard at every TPS [polling station],” National Police criminal investigations division chief Comr. Gen. Sutarman said as quoted by tribunnews.com.

Four people were killed in two separate attacks on New Year’s Eve. One person was killed in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, while three were killed in a second shooting in Bireun regency, about 250 kilometers east of Banda Aceh.

Sutarman said the shootings involved innocent people and were not politically motivated. “We have not found that the series of shootings are connected to the general election,” he said.

However, Sutarman agreed that the violence might influence the election. (awd)