The conflict in Aceh: context, precursors and catalysts
Michelle Ann Miller
Miller traces the roots of the Aceh conflict to repressive Indonesian policies, specifically: exploitation of Aceh's natural resources; violence against Acehnese civilians by Indonesian security forces; and Jakarta's failure to honour commitments to Aceh's autonomy. This contradicts the prevailing Acehnese perception of the war as a liberation struggle against colonial domination. Regional discontent in Aceh grew into separatist insurgency in the 1970s. This provoked an increasingly martial response from the government, which involved widespread violations of Acehnese human rights. East Timor's successful bid for independence in the 1990s simultaneously strengthened both Acehnese' aspirations of self-determination, and nationalists' belief in preserving Indonesia's territorial integrity.
