29 Jun 2005

Counting continues in Papua elections

8:45 pm on 29 June 2005

Counting has continued in the Indonesian province of Papua after thousands voted in regional elections on Tuesday.

With turnout numbers still uncertain, people in 13 regions turned out to vote for local regents and mayors, part of Indonesia's first direct elections for regional heads.

Papua Governor Jaap Solossa had called for voters to keep the peace in the election.

Pro-Independence candidates are banned from running for elected positions in the province and some student groups and activists had threatened to boycott the polls.