Poll starts in Aceh, Indonesia

    BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Acehneses begin to give their votes across the province on Monday aimed to directly choose governor and 19 heads of regency and mayors, as an implementation of peace accord between Jakarta and Aceh rebel in August 2005 in Helsinki, Finland to end the three-decade bloodshed in the oil-and-gas rich province.

    Over 2.6 million out of 4.2 million Acehnese came to about 8,000 polling stations to support their favorite, Chairman of the Aceh Independent Local Election Commission (KIP) M. Ja'afar said. Full Story

Feature: Peace process in Indonesia's Aceh

    BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The incomplete reintegration in the restive province of Aceh, Indonesia, is testing its sustainability of the long-awaited peace process, a local official said here Sunday.

    Head of Aceh Cultural Center Hasballah M. Saad said in an interview with Xinhua that currently Acehnese have been divided into the sentiments of pro-former rebel of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian Armed Forces. Full Story

Hundreds of foreign observers to monitor poll in Aceh

    BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of foreign observers will watch the first-direct gubernatorial election in Indonesia's Aceh province on Monday, the local election commission said here Sunday.

    Chairman of the Aceh Independent Local Election Commission (KIP) M. Ja'afar told Xinhua that the observers are from at least seven international and five local foundations. Full Story 

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