Aceh Party supporters rally in Banda
Aceh on March 24, 2014. (EPA Photo/Hotli Simanjuntak)
Banda Aceh. Escalating political tension and rampant violence in
Aceh in the run-up to next month’s the legislative election have prompted
activists to declare an emergency in the province.
Several
nongovernmental organizations, united under the Democratic Forum, have
expressed concern over the unabating violence in Aceh, which seems to be
related to the upcoming election.
The Aceh
Democratic Forum recorded at least 36 cases of violence during the official
campaign period so far, including shootings, terror acts using grenades,
assault and the destruction of political parties’ offices.
The Aceh
Party was founded by former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members after a peace
treaty between the rebels and the Indonesian government was signed in Helsinki,
Finland, in 2005 to end the decades-long bloody conflict that killed more than
25,000 civilians in the province.
As part
of the peace treaty, the province of Aceh was permitted to implement a form of
Shariah, or Islamic law.
Last
week Aceh Police charged 21 members and supporters of the Aceh Party over a
string of attacks on rival political parties.
The
police initially arrested 50 people in connection with a spate of attacks
targeting members of the Aceh National Party (PNA) in Banda Masen Village, in
Lhokseumawe district.
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