Insurgency in Aceh
Encyclopedia
The insurgency in Aceh was waged by the Free Aceh Movement
(GAM) between 1976 and 2005 in order to obtain independence from Indonesia
. Destruction caused by the armed conflicts and 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
brought a peace deal and an end to the insurgency.
than is mainstream in most of Indonesia is widely practiced in Aceh. The broadly secular policies of Suharto's New Order regime (1965–1998) were especially unpopular in Aceh, where many resented the central government's policy of promoting a unified 'Indonesian culture'.
, to form Free Aceh Movement
(GAM) on 4 December 1976 and declare Acehnese independence. The main perceived threats were to Acehnese religion and culture from the "neo-colonial" government and the rising numbers of Javanese migrants. The uneven distribution of income from Aceh's substantial natural resources was another point of contention.
At first the guerilla war of GAM was almost entirely unsuccessful, and the government appeared to have entirely neutralised the group by 1977. The group renewed its activities in 1989, apparently with financial support from Libya
and Iran
, fielding around 1,000 guerillas. Although it failed to gain widespread support, the group's actions led the government to institute repressive measures. The area was given "Operational Military" status from 1991 to 1995. This measure, although tactically successful in destroying GAM as a guerilla force, alienated Acehnese people which helped GAM re-establish itself when Indonesian military was almost totally withdrawn from Aceh by order of President Habibie in late 1998.
Negotiations between the two sides, beginning after the toppling of Suharto, were endlessly broken off, and both the military and GAM were often accused of human rights
abuses.
and resulted in the second phase of the rebellion, this time with large support from the Acehnese people. In 1999 a troop withdrawal was announced, but the deteriorating security situation led to re-introduction of more soldiers and troop numbers were believed to have risen during the rule of Megawati Sukarnoputri
to around 15,000 by mid-2002.
Security crackdowns in 2001 and 2002 resulted in several thousand civilian deaths. Throughout the conflict an estimated 15,000 people have been killed. The government launched an offensive and a state of emergency
was proclaimed in the Province. The war was still going on when the Tsunami Disaster of 2004 struck the province. In November 2003 the martial law was extended for a further six months. According to a Human Rights Watch
report, the Indonesian military committed widespread human rights abuses during the invasion and occupation, with more than 100,000 people being displaced in the first seven months of martial law and extrajudicial killings being common.
in December 2004, both sides declared a cease-fire and reiterated the need to resolve the conflict. However, sporadic armed clashes continued to occur throughout the province. Because of the separatist movement in the area, the Indonesian government has had access restrictions in place on the press and aid workers. The Indonesian government has, however, opened the region up to international relief efforts.
It drew a lot of international attention to the conflict, wiped out many supplies, and killed many personnel from both sides. Earlier efforts had failed, but for a number of reasons, including the tsunami, peace prevailed in 2005 after 29 years of war. Post-Suharto Indonesia and the liberal-democratic reform period, as well as changes in the Indonesian military, helped create an environment more favorable to peace talks. The roles of newly elected President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
and Vice President Jusuf Kalla
were highly significant. At the same time, the GAM leadership was undergoing changes, and the Indonesian military
had inflicted so much damage on the rebel movement that it had no choice but to negotiate with the central government. The peace talks were facilitated by a Finland
-based NGO, the Crisis Management Initiative
, and led by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari
. The resulting peace agreement http://www.aceh-mm.org/download/english/Helsinki%20MoU.pdf (PDF format) was signed on August 15, 2005. Under the agreement, Aceh would receive special autonomy under Republic of Indonesia
, and non-organic government troops would be withdrawn from the province (leaving only 25,000 soldiers) in exchange for GAM's disarmament. As part of the agreement, the European Union
dispatched 300 monitors
. Their mission expired on December 15, 2006, following local elections.
Aceh has been granted broader autonomy through Aceh Government Legislation covering special rights agreed upon in 2002 as well as the right of the Acehnese to establish local political parties to represent their interests. Human rights advocates protested that previous human rights violations in the province needed to be addressed, however. http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/09/19/indone11764.htm
During elections for the provincial governor
held in December 2006, the former GAM and national parties participated. The election was won by Irwandi Yusuf
, whose base of support consists largely of ex-GAM members.
Free Aceh Movement
The Free Aceh Movement , also known as the Aceh Sumatra National Liberation Front , was a separatist group seeking independence for the Aceh region of Sumatra from Indonesia. GAM fought against Indonesian government forces in the Aceh Insurgency from 1976 to 2005, costing over 15,000 lives...
(GAM) between 1976 and 2005 in order to obtain independence from Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. Destruction caused by the armed conflicts and 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
brought a peace deal and an end to the insurgency.
Background
There is a cultural and religious divide between Aceh and the rest of Indonesia as well. A more conservative form of IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
than is mainstream in most of Indonesia is widely practiced in Aceh. The broadly secular policies of Suharto's New Order regime (1965–1998) were especially unpopular in Aceh, where many resented the central government's policy of promoting a unified 'Indonesian culture'.
First Phase
Centralizing tendencies of the government of Suharto led Hasan di TiroHasan di Tiro
Tengku Hasan Muhammad di Tiro , born Hasan Bin Leube Muhammad, was the founder of the Free Aceh Movement , an organization which attempted to separate Aceh from Indonesia from the 1970s. It surrendered its separatist goals and agreed to disarm as agreed to in the Helsinki peace deal of 2005...
, to form Free Aceh Movement
Free Aceh Movement
The Free Aceh Movement , also known as the Aceh Sumatra National Liberation Front , was a separatist group seeking independence for the Aceh region of Sumatra from Indonesia. GAM fought against Indonesian government forces in the Aceh Insurgency from 1976 to 2005, costing over 15,000 lives...
(GAM) on 4 December 1976 and declare Acehnese independence. The main perceived threats were to Acehnese religion and culture from the "neo-colonial" government and the rising numbers of Javanese migrants. The uneven distribution of income from Aceh's substantial natural resources was another point of contention.
At first the guerilla war of GAM was almost entirely unsuccessful, and the government appeared to have entirely neutralised the group by 1977. The group renewed its activities in 1989, apparently with financial support from Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, fielding around 1,000 guerillas. Although it failed to gain widespread support, the group's actions led the government to institute repressive measures. The area was given "Operational Military" status from 1991 to 1995. This measure, although tactically successful in destroying GAM as a guerilla force, alienated Acehnese people which helped GAM re-establish itself when Indonesian military was almost totally withdrawn from Aceh by order of President Habibie in late 1998.
Negotiations between the two sides, beginning after the toppling of Suharto, were endlessly broken off, and both the military and GAM were often accused of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
abuses.
Second phase
In 1999, chaos in Java and an ineffective central government due to the fall of Suharto gave an advantage to Free Aceh MovementFree Aceh Movement
The Free Aceh Movement , also known as the Aceh Sumatra National Liberation Front , was a separatist group seeking independence for the Aceh region of Sumatra from Indonesia. GAM fought against Indonesian government forces in the Aceh Insurgency from 1976 to 2005, costing over 15,000 lives...
and resulted in the second phase of the rebellion, this time with large support from the Acehnese people. In 1999 a troop withdrawal was announced, but the deteriorating security situation led to re-introduction of more soldiers and troop numbers were believed to have risen during the rule of Megawati Sukarnoputri
Megawati Sukarnoputri
In this Indonesian name, the name "Sukarnoputri" is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name "Megawati"....
to around 15,000 by mid-2002.
Security crackdowns in 2001 and 2002 resulted in several thousand civilian deaths. Throughout the conflict an estimated 15,000 people have been killed. The government launched an offensive and a state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
was proclaimed in the Province. The war was still going on when the Tsunami Disaster of 2004 struck the province. In November 2003 the martial law was extended for a further six months. According to a Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
report, the Indonesian military committed widespread human rights abuses during the invasion and occupation, with more than 100,000 people being displaced in the first seven months of martial law and extrajudicial killings being common.
The peace agreement and first local elections
After the devastating tsunami2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
in December 2004, both sides declared a cease-fire and reiterated the need to resolve the conflict. However, sporadic armed clashes continued to occur throughout the province. Because of the separatist movement in the area, the Indonesian government has had access restrictions in place on the press and aid workers. The Indonesian government has, however, opened the region up to international relief efforts.
It drew a lot of international attention to the conflict, wiped out many supplies, and killed many personnel from both sides. Earlier efforts had failed, but for a number of reasons, including the tsunami, peace prevailed in 2005 after 29 years of war. Post-Suharto Indonesia and the liberal-democratic reform period, as well as changes in the Indonesian military, helped create an environment more favorable to peace talks. The roles of newly elected President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono AC , is an Indonesian politician and retired Army general officer who has been President of Indonesia since 2004....
and Vice President Jusuf Kalla
Jusuf Kalla
is an Indonesian politician who was the 10th Vice President of Indonesia from 2004 to 2009 and Chairman of the Golkar Party during the same period. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the 2009 presidential election.-Early life:...
were highly significant. At the same time, the GAM leadership was undergoing changes, and the Indonesian military
Military of Indonesia
The Indonesian National Armed Forces in 2009 comprises approximately 432,129 personnel including the Army , Navy including the Indonesian Marine Corps and the Air Force ....
had inflicted so much damage on the rebel movement that it had no choice but to negotiate with the central government. The peace talks were facilitated by a Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
-based NGO, the Crisis Management Initiative
Crisis Management Initiative
Crisis Management Initiative is an independent, non-governmental organisation that works to resolve conflict and to build sustainable peace. CMI has offices in Helsinki and Brussels and activities in Liberia, Ethiopia, the Black Sea region, Middle East and Aceh. It was founded by Martti Ahtisaari,...
, and led by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari
Martti Ahtisaari
Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari is a Finnish politician, the tenth President of Finland , Nobel Peace Prize laureate and United Nations diplomat and mediator, noted for his international peace work....
. The resulting peace agreement http://www.aceh-mm.org/download/english/Helsinki%20MoU.pdf (PDF format) was signed on August 15, 2005. Under the agreement, Aceh would receive special autonomy under Republic of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and non-organic government troops would be withdrawn from the province (leaving only 25,000 soldiers) in exchange for GAM's disarmament. As part of the agreement, the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
dispatched 300 monitors
Aceh monitoring mission
The Aceh Monitoring Mission , established by the European Union according to the Memorandum of Understanding between former Acehnese rebel movement GAM and the Government of Indonesia on 15 August 2005...
. Their mission expired on December 15, 2006, following local elections.
Aceh has been granted broader autonomy through Aceh Government Legislation covering special rights agreed upon in 2002 as well as the right of the Acehnese to establish local political parties to represent their interests. Human rights advocates protested that previous human rights violations in the province needed to be addressed, however. http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/09/19/indone11764.htm
During elections for the provincial governor
Acehnese regional election, 2006
Regional elections were held in Aceh on 11 December 2006 after a peace treaty had been signed between the government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement on 15 August 2005, ending the Insurgency in Aceh.-Candidates:...
held in December 2006, the former GAM and national parties participated. The election was won by Irwandi Yusuf
Irwandi Yusuf
Irwandi Yusuf , is the current Governor of the Indonesian province of Aceh. He won the 2006 Aceh regional election as an independent candidate , along with Muhammad Nazar, S. Ag...
, whose base of support consists largely of ex-GAM members.