The province of Aceh is located at the northern tip of the island of Sumatra and covers an area of 57,366 km². A special territory of Indonésie, much like Papua, it enjoys special autonomy that grants it greater freedom in its administrative and legal management. Its capital, Banda Aceh, sits on its northern coast. Today, the province comprises twenty-three administrative divisions known as kabupaten and kota. Here we explain the history of this Indonésian province that stands apart from the rest of the archipelago and often attracts political and media scrutiny.

History

Once, the region hosted the earliest Muslim kingdoms and served as a crucial gateway for Islam which gradually spread throughout Indonésie. Present-day Banda Aceh was formerly called Kutaraja, or Kota Radja, meaning "the city of kings," and was also the former capital of the Aceh Sultanate.

Over centuries, the region became the stage for numerous geopolitical confrontations as nations battled for its control. Indeed, Aceh remained a strategic point for maritime trade across Southeast Asia. The Portuguese and Dutch long fought to bring the province under their authority. The last sultan was eventually exiled in the early twentieth century. The sultanate then fell into the hands of Dutch colonists who struggled to administer the region and subjugate the Acehnese to their rule.

Starting around the same period, Islamic movements began flowing into Aceh, notably under the banner of Daud Beureueh, leader of the PUSA (Persatuan Ulama Seluruh Aceh or Union of Aceh Scholars), a political party advocating Islam and the establishment of Islamic governance.

During World War II, the Acehnese turned to the Japanese to oppose Dutch forces. At the end of the global conflict and following Japan's unconditional surrender, all islands of the archipelago demanded independence from the Netherlands.

Declaration of Aceh's Special Autonomy

During the Indonesian War of Independence, the province of Aceh remained one of the last pillars of Indonesian resistance against the Dutch. After the conflict ended in 1949, the new Republic gained autonomy and Sukarno was appointed head of state. However, the PUSA remained in perpetual disagreement with the non-Islamic government and contested the Pancasila, which upheld religious freedom for the Indonésian people.

In 1950, Aceh was annexed to the province of North Sumatra, losing its autonomy. Consequently, the political and separatist movement Darul Islam waged guerrilla warfare against the Indonésian army, demanding the region's independence. After accepting a ceasefire, the government agreed to enter discussions to find a settlement and eventually granted the province a special status in 1959.

Aceh thus became autonomous regarding customary law, population education, and the practice of Islam. However, Suharto's rise to power changed the situation, and Islamic law was gradually banned. The exploitation of the region's natural resources by foreign groups that did not benefit local inhabitants eventually sparked tensions.

The Free Aceh Movement, called GAM (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka), was created in 1976, and civil war between the Indonésian state and the party gripped the region. The military eventually deployed troops to the area in 1990.

Nine years later, new president Habibie decided to reintroduce Islamic law and restore special status to the region. Today, Islam is thus part of the population's customs and traditions. For example, women are required to wear Muslim headscarves in public, and numerous demonstrations against Christians or LGBTQ+ individuals have become common.

Aceh is notably known for the tsunami of December 26, 2004, which devastated the region and claimed the lives of thousands of people. Since then, the province has rebuilt itself, and tourism has even developed around tsunami memorial sites.

Strongly criticized by media due to its extremist policies, Aceh remains a sensitive subject in the eyes of the Indonésian state and the rest of the Indonésian population, who, despite a Muslim majority, lean toward a more moderate application of Islam and tolerance of other official religions.