Conflict and Recovery in Aceh

On August 15, 2005, the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed a peace accord in Helsinki, Finland, aimed at ending a thirty year old armed conflict which has resulted in almost 15,000 deaths.

Changes in the political environment - and in the demands of both sides - has allowed for the development of an agreement that many see as being the best hope for peace in Aceh for years. Lessons from the failed Cessation of Hostilities Agreement of 2002-2003 have been learned. The current agreement appears to represent a more comprehensive strategy for bringing peace to Aceh, with many of the social, political and economic factors that have kept Aceh in a state of perpetual war since the failure of the last agreement, considered, if not fully addressed.

The improvement in security that the peace process, if successful, will bring, provides new opportunities for reaching some of the poorest people in Aceh. The Helsinki agreement represents the best chance for peace Aceh has had for years.

This paper constitutes a preliminary assessment of conflict dynamics on the ground in Aceh today, and, particularly, of how the conflict is experienced by the people who make up the vast majority of the populace of this beautiful but tragic place: rural Acehnese villagers. The paper does not seek to analyze the conflict at the macro-level or the intentions of elite actors, including the TNI and GAM leadership and the Government of Indonesia. Instead, it assumes will from these parties to find a solution to the conflict, and considers the local dynamics that may make or break the agreement.

 

The paper consists of five parts. After an introduction, Section 2 gives a brief overview of conflict on the ground in Aceh today, using survey and qualitative data. Section 3 sets out potential scenarios post-August 15, 2005, with an emphasis on dynamics that could negatively impact upon the likelihood of sustainable peace. Section 4 gives suggestions for broad tools that, development actors, such as the World Bank and others, may use to address these, and, more broadly, to support the peaceful recovery of Aceh, and outlines principles for conflict-sensitive development planning. Section 5 concludes.

 

 Download the Executive Summary in English (80kb pdf) || Bahasa Indonesia (76kb pdf)
 Download the Full Report (526 kb pdf) (Bahasa Indonesia version not yet available)

 Access the Aceh Conflict Monitoring Update (links to Indonesia Conflict and Community Development Program website)