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| Aceh ready for landmark elections | Aceh ready for landmark elections |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Voters in the Indonesian province of Aceh are due to elect local leaders in the region's first direct elections. | Voters in the Indonesian province of Aceh are due to elect local leaders in the region's first direct elections. |
| The elections for the posts of governor and deputy governor are part of a peace deal signed with separatist rebels after 29 years of war left 15,000 dead. | The elections for the posts of governor and deputy governor are part of a peace deal signed with separatist rebels after 29 years of war left 15,000 dead. |
| Rebels in Aceh gave up a demand for independence after winning autonomy and the right to participate fully in democratic elections. | Rebels in Aceh gave up a demand for independence after winning autonomy and the right to participate fully in democratic elections. |
| Much of Aceh was devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. | Much of Aceh was devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. |
| The scale of the disaster spurred the rebels and the government into peace talks. | The scale of the disaster spurred the rebels and the government into peace talks. |
| Ballots not bullets | Ballots not bullets |
| Eight pairs of candidates have put their names forward for the positions of governor and vice-governor. | Eight pairs of candidates have put their names forward for the positions of governor and vice-governor. |
| If Gam wins, well good for them - that's democracy, everyone's ready to accept that Azwar Akubakar href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6161153.stm" class="">Former fighters face ballot | |
| Former members of the Free Aceh Movement (Gam) and an ex-army general are among those standing for election, as well as representatives from the powerful Indonesian party, Golkar. | Former members of the Free Aceh Movement (Gam) and an ex-army general are among those standing for election, as well as representatives from the powerful Indonesian party, Golkar. |
| Former Gam fighter Muhammad Nazar said there is "no other choice" for the ex-fighters but to take part in the election. | Former Gam fighter Muhammad Nazar said there is "no other choice" for the ex-fighters but to take part in the election. |
| "We must have control of the executive, form a local party, control the legislature... no longer with weapons," he told the AFP news agency. | "We must have control of the executive, form a local party, control the legislature... no longer with weapons," he told the AFP news agency. |
| "This is not to end the struggle but to alter it from an armed conflict to political institutions which are more conducive," | "This is not to end the struggle but to alter it from an armed conflict to political institutions which are more conducive," |
| Previously, Aceh's governor and deputy governor were appointed by the Indonesian central government in Jakarta. | Previously, Aceh's governor and deputy governor were appointed by the Indonesian central government in Jakarta. |
| The incumbent governor, Azwar Akubakar, hopes to be elected to his post, but also congratulated Gam on the switch "from bullets to ballots". | The incumbent governor, Azwar Akubakar, hopes to be elected to his post, but also congratulated Gam on the switch "from bullets to ballots". |
| "And if Gam wins, well good for them. That's democracy. Everyone's ready to accept that," he told the Associated Press. | "And if Gam wins, well good for them. That's democracy. Everyone's ready to accept that," he told the Associated Press. |