Violence, the Threat of Democratic Election The current Aceh politics situation leads to political violences.

These situations should be the concern of all parties, so that they are able to respond it democratically, especially Aceh Government, the institutions of Election, Political Parties, Civil Society Organizations , and all Acehnese people (citizens). The case of the beaten to death one of Aceh National Party (PNA) member in Kutamakmur, Lhokseumawe and the burning of a car whose a Aceh Party member, also in Lhokseumawe, strengthen the behavior of violence for upcoming election April 9th 2014. Both of these cases and other previous violence cases, increasingly, strengthen of internal contradiction that imply the violence among the community, weaken society cohesion, and reduce the society power to build Aceh in the future. The behavior of politics violence, that now days happens in Aceh, has a close relationship to weakness of political institutions, especially, Political Parties role in strengthening the understanding of politics to their members. That situation became more complex when the governor role as Aceh political leader could not create a good communication in constructive way in order to be a reflection of Acehnese leadership. So that Aceh politics movement have not a parted from violence tradition. That means Acehnese people must fight to achieve and built the political system as written in UU PA (Aceh Local Government Regulations) and as a frame work of conflict transformation to create the political tradition that voice the people interests or having a close relationship to the all Acehnese peoples necessities. So, Aceh Network for Election and Democracy (Anfed as) one of civil society component that does the advocating the election accomplishing and the strengthening the democracy in Aceh realizes that it is important to convey that the violence behavior in politics that occurs in Aceh can influence the election. It will far from being fair, honest, and democratic. Moreover, those cases have not handled under a strong law mechanism. And the agreement between Aceh House of Representative (DPRA) and Aceh government that decided to delegitimize Bawaslu Aceh bring Aceh to the unfair upcoming Election mechanism. So Anfed appeals/ proclaims: 1. Governor of Aceh as a political leader is able to run his function as a front line in developing and building Aceh political atmosphere. The governor has the primary responsibility to stop the violence in relation to the administration and mechanism of election and democratization in Aceh; 2. The leaders of political parties are able to direct all of their members to create an atmosphere and political attitudes of mutual respect among other political parties because we have greater vision and greater political paradigm for the interests and welfare of the Aceh people. 3. The cases of violence that occur in a political context, especially violence that experienced by the members of PA and PNA, is the responsibility of the police. They must investigate them in order to avoid impunity; 4. To the entire of the community to participate actively to create a democratic political atmosphere and not to be affected by the atmosphere of violence, as well as monitor and report any violent incident to the authorities.

This statement may be useful for the election processes that are honest, fair, free, and democratic. Banda Aceh, Friday, February, 2014 Aceh Network for Election and Democracy (Anfed)

Firdaus Program Organizer