History of Rebellion in Aceh

in #writing8 years ago


Free Aceh Movement, or GAM is a separatist organization that has the goal of keeping Aceh separated from the Unitary Republic of Indonesia. The conflict between the Indonesian government and GAM resulting difference this desire has been ongoing since 1976 and led to the collapse of almost 15,000 people. This movement is also known as the Aceh Sumatra National Liberation Front (ASNLF). GAM was led by Hasan di Tiro for nearly three decades living in Sweden and Swedish nationality. On June 2, 2010, he obtained Indonesian citizenship status, just a day before he died in Banda Aceh.    

On December 4, 1976 the initiator of the Free Aceh Movement, Hasan di Tiro and some followers issued statements against the government of Indonesia, which was held in the hilly region Halimon in Pidie district. At the beginning of the founding period GAM official name used is AM, the Free Aceh. By the Indonesian government in the period 1980-1990 with the name of the movement said GPK-AM. Resistance repressive armed the movement received loud from the central government of Indonesia that finally held a military operation in the Province of Aceh, known as DOM (Military Operations Area) in the latter half of the 80s to the late 90s, the operation has made the AM activist was forced to continue his struggle from exile region. While the end of the New Order regime and the reforms carried out in Indonesian, along with that, the Free Aceh Movement back to exist and use GAM's name as the identity of the organization.   

The conflict between the Indonesian government and GAM to continue until the government imposed martial law status in Aceh in 2003, after several dialogical process that failed to reach a solution to an agreement between the government of Indonesian and GAM activists. The conflict has more or less suppress armed activities carried out by GAM, GAM many of the activists who fled to areas outside Aceh and overseas. The earthquake and tsunami on December 26, 2004 has forced the warring parties to return to the negotiating table for the initiation and mediation by international parties. On February 27, 2005, GAM and the Indonesian government started negotiating phase in Vantaa, Finland. The former Finnish president Marti Ahtisaari acted as a facilitator.   

On July 17, 2005, after negotiating for 25 days, Indonesian negotiating team managed to reach a peace agreement with GAM in Vantaa, Helsinki, Finland. The Memorandum of peace agreement took place on 15 August 2005. The peace process subsequently monitored by a team called the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) which is comprised of five ASEAN countries and some countries that joined the European Union. Among the important point is that the Indonesian government will also facilitate the establishment of local political parties in Aceh and an amnesty for GAM members. Although, peace, true till now still leaves issues that have yet to find a way out. For example only relates to Prisoners / Acehnese political prisoners are still in prison Cipinang, Jakarta as Ismuhadi, et al. As well as to ensure the welfare of former GAM combatants soldier who tend to only be enjoyed by a handful of elites. All weapons that reached 840 GAM handed over to the AMM completed on December 19, 2005. Then on December 27, GAM through military spokesman, Sofyan Dawood, stating that they had disbanded military wing formally. 

"Actually, the so-called Military Operations Area?"    

Indonesian military operation in Aceh 1990-1998 or also called Operation Red Net is a counter-insurgency operation was launched in the early 1990s until August 22, 1998 against the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Aceh. During that period, Aceh was declared a "Military Operations Area" (DOM), in which the Indonesian National Army allegedly committed human rights violations on a large scale and systematic against combatants and civilians in Aceh. This operation is marked as the dirtiest wars in Indonesian involving arbitrary executions, kidnapping, torture and disappearances, and the burning of villages. Amnesty International has called the launch of the military operation as "shock therapy" for GAM. The village suspected GAM members were burned to hide and family members of suspected militants abducted and tortured. It is estimated that more than 300 women and children under the age of rape and between 9000-12000 people, mostly civilians were killed between 1989 and 1998 in the military operation. The operation ended with the withdrawal of almost all military personnel involved at the behest of President BJ Habibie on August 22, 1998 after the fall of President Suharto and the end of the New Order era.   

There are several factors that led to peace in Aceh:  

  1. Natural Disasters Tsunami. The government's position is very clear here. Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla, a few days after the tsunami clearly announced that peace should be done immediately. For Jusuf Kalla, it is impossible to establish the ruins of Aceh if the government and GAM are still opposed.  
  2. The seriousness of the SBY-JK. The seriousness of the government of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla, has demonstrated seriousness to start peace talks with GAM. Wishes the two leaders were not mere rhetoric but real action, A Brief History of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).
  3. Support TNI. TNI itself extremely supportive and encouraging the creation of peace in Aceh. In this context the role of president SBY is very dominant. SBY firmly stated that the military must take political decisions made leader.   
  4. Changes in the spirit of GAM. Results of operations military forces massively before the tsunami made GAM forces slacken. GAM forces suffered significant defeats morale and make people GAM in the field changes.
  5. The role of Martti Ahtisaari. The leadership of former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari as the mediator and facilitate the peace talks is crucial. He was very emphatic in, full of finesse and he also has a solid plan on any negotiations. He always communicates directly with the UN Secretary General, Koffi Annan during negotiations. Thus it is very easy to mobilize all purposes to achieve peace in Aceh.
  6. Concretely Government Agenda. This factor is crucial because it makes a concrete offer Indonesian government's position at the negotiating table, it is very profitable. When GAM still spinning Damal pitted arguments and trying to avoid entering the substance of the issue, Ahtisaari always use a concrete offer it to suppress GAM.
  7. International Support. The international community strongly supports the peace efforts undertaken by the new government of SBY-JK. International support for advancing peace in Aceh can not be separated from the tsunami. The international world simultaneously help the reconstruction of Aceh after the tsunami. The international community is more rational and realistic that it is not possible to do bentuan humanitarian and reconstruction of Aceh in the absence of peace between the Indonesian government and GAM.  
  8. Format Dialog. This time the Indonesian government and GAM meet in person at a negotiating table. There are no intermediaries who deliver each message. Premises Thus, there is no other word that is interpreted. Direct meetings are very effective because apart from each party to hear directly, and all the plans and the contents of the mind easily stated.
  9. Main Personal Intensive. Contact person with the GAM leaders conducted by the government to be very significant. The same was done to the Vice President Ahtasaari. With direct communication, both the GAM leaders and Ahtasaari, very confident about the seriousness of the government to achieve peace.
  10. Patience and Tolerance Government Negotiator. The durability of the government negotiators to be patient and tolerant to attack by GAM, helped determine the smoothness of the talks. And this attitude does not just happen, because, every time JK always urged to practice restrain emotions and reactions. JK teachings is not without reason. Experience resolve violent conflicts in Poso and Ambon few years ago, making JK believes that part reconcile oranng success is patience.
  11. Commitments Both Sides. Compliance with both sides to keep the commitments that the substance of the talks during the dialogue, should not be known to the public. Both government and GAM, both are subject to rules and regulations. Party mediator too. He just did a press conference at the end of each round of dialogue. That, too, with the consent of both parties.  
  12. Discipline GAM. Neatness GAM organizational structure allows them very disciplined. During the talks, no one un GAM activists who deviated from their commanders were in talks in Helsinki. Everything is subject to the leadership of Malik Mahmud and Zaini Abdullah.

"MoU Helsinki / Aceh peace treaty and Indonesia"

Manuscript Peace Agreement between the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement, later often called the MoU, signed in Helsinki, Finland, on August 15, 2005. The peace negotiations that Inducible Vice President Muhammad Jusuf Kalla. He pointed negotiator Hamid Awaluddin as the coordinator representing the Government of Indonesia. While coordinator GAM negotiators that Malik Mahmud Al Haytar.  The dialogue that began in early 2005 was mediated by Martti Ahtisaari, a former Finnish president. He led the organization Crisis Management Initiative. 2005 Peace Agreement ended the conflict between Aceh and Jakarta for almost 30 years. Grains of understanding is then poured / down in Law No. 11/2006 on Aceh Government. 

The following manuscript agreement Mou helsinki, please click the link below :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9DcbB_eKTuKcFk4Y1l3UzJqb0k/view?usp=sharing

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Nice post

Good article, but can you explain why the GAM separatists want to secede from Indonesia? What is their ideological reason?

Because Indonesia was committing genocide to against Aceh decades ago. @herverisson

because is Teungku Hasan Tiro want to establish their own state, namely the State Aceh. because this they feel that the customs value of Aceh has been dumped by the industrial progress from the Soeharto @herverisson

Excellent post. We read so little about Indonesia in the US press, it is good to learn of how these problems resolved. I spent 2 months in Indonesia in 1997, it is a beautiful country, though at that time visiting Banda Aceh was not recommended. Someday I would love to return.

Thank you so much @an1ta
Now Aceh was beautiful. many tours that you can visit. Her example weh island, Sabang