This election is also unique, because 2 sets of GAM leaders (the Free-Aceh Movement rebel leaders who were in open conflict with the government until Aug05) are on the ticket. Many people are worried that if the wrong candidate wins, there will be violence in the streets, as has happened before in Indonesia (see 1998 fall of Suharto or 1999 East Timor vote history).

One thing I am very happy to see is the relative peace & calm here on the streets in Banda Aceh on the day before the elections. Many candidates are going out of their way to say they will accept the election outcome, no-matter who wins. There is a palpable sense that maintaining the peace is at the top of everybody’s priority list. The next biggest issues that Acehnese seem concerned about are economic recovery.
The religious issues that some are pushing for seem several steps removed from what is important to the Acehnese interviewed by the newspapers, and to Tanwir’s family,,, who mostly want jobs.