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espite fears of an eruption of armed violence as seen during campaigning, the people of Aceh witnessed peaceful elections on Monday, with a former foreign minister for the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist group leading an exit poll for the gubernatorial post.

Candidate Zaini Abdullah and his running mate, Muzakir Manaf, a former GAM field commander, edged to the top of the polls in a non-official “quick count” carried out by the Indonesia Survey Circle (LSI), which is the only survey organization monitoring the election.

Zaini, who lived in exile in Sweden during the bloody separatist conflict in Aceh that ended in 2005, secured 54.4 percent of the vote, according to the LSI.

His rival, incumbent Governor Irwandi Yusuf, himself a former GAM intelligence chief, came in second with 29.88 percent of the votes.

The Independent Aceh Election Commission (KIP) will officially announce the results of the election next week.

Since December, Acehnese have been largely torn apart by rifts between Zaini and Irwandi, leading to intimidation and a string of shootings.

The threat of violence was feared to have high because former GAM combatants had been divided into supporting Zaini or Irwandi.

“Analysts and people in Jakarta have labelled Aceh as a risky place. But the election process today has proven otherwise,” Aceh Police chief Insp. Gen. Iskandar Hasan said on Monday.

Security analysts believed Monday’s election was a test for Aceh’s success story in ending more than 30 years of conflict that claimed more than 17,000 lives and dealing with a massive post-tsunami reconstruction effort, mostly financed by international donors.

Due to a string of shootings, investors still perceive Aceh as a risky place to do business.

This is despite the region being relatively peaceful since the 2005 peace accord and the abundance of oil, gas, iron ore and nickel.

Police did not receive any reports of violence in the province, with voters comfortable in showing up to the ballot box.

“Overall, there are no serious incidents. But we’ve detained four people in Lhokseumawe and Pidie for allegedly intimidating members of a candidate’s campaign team,” Iskandar said.

Elections were held simultaneously to appoint the governor, deputy and 17 local mayors.

This is the second direct election in Aceh since the Helsinki peace agreement in 2005. The province held its first election to appoint a governor and 19 local leaders in 2006.

“The election should serve as a way to unite the Acehnese. We [the central government] are hoping that the losing parties can accept defeat,” the Home Ministry’s director general of autonomy Djohermansyah Djohan said.

Political analyst Fachri Ali of the University of Indonesia said Zaini’s lead in the election, as counted by the LSI, suggested that the Acehnese still hold figures with GAM backgrounds in high regard.

“Former GAM fighters are the political force in the province, with well-organized networks and loyalties. Now they have given a mandate to Zaini,” Fachri said.

Zaini was supported by the Aceh Party — a political vehicle for former GAM combatants — while Irwandi ran as independent.

The Aceh Party secured a majority of seats in the local legislative bodies.

“Acehnese are an ethnic group that have a high political awareness. I believe that given the conducive condition during the poll, and the leading of Zaini, the worst is over,” Fachri said. (fzm)