PAJAN Calls for a Humanitarian Approach and Respect for the Aceh Peace Agreement
Banda Aceh.ANN — Peace and Justice for Action (PAJAN) calls on all parties to exercise restraint and to prioritize a humanitarian, dialogical, and responsible approach in responding to the current situation in Aceh. In particular, PAJAN urges the Lilawangsa Military Resort Command (Danrem) to prioritize persuasive and non-coercive measures, and to avoid repressive actions that risk exacerbating tensions and undermining public trust.
The Executive Director of PAJAN, Ibnu Sakdan Abubakar, emphasized that repressive actions—especially when they occur in the context of humanitarian activities—not only undermine the public sense of justice but also risk damaging the spirit and substance of the Aceh peace process, which has been carefully maintained for nearly two decades since the Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Allegations of violence by security personnel against civilians involved in the delivery of humanitarian assistance to flood victims in Aceh Tamiang must therefore be taken seriously and subjected to transparent and accountable evaluation.
PAJAN recognizes that actions taken by security forces on the ground were influenced by the presence of symbols associated with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) carried by some participants in the humanitarian mission. However, this situation cannot be separated from the accumulated frustration of the Acehnese people regarding what is perceived as an inadequate state response. To date, the central government has not declared the situation a National Disaster, while affected communities continue to face severe limitations in aid and insufficient attention proportional to the scale of the humanitarian emergency.
In this context, symbolic expressions by the community should be understood proportionally and contextually, rather than approached solely through a security lens. What Aceh urgently requires is a decisive and humane state presence—one that ensures the safety of civilians, accelerates the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and guarantees the protection of fundamental rights and social justice.
PAJAN reiterates that the regulation of the Aceh Flag and Emblem constitutes a legitimate and integral part of the Helsinki Peace Agreement, as stipulated in MoU Helsinki, Article 1.1.5, which recognizes Aceh’s right to use regional symbols—including a flag, emblem, and anthem—within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. This provision was subsequently implemented through Article 246 paragraph (2) of Law No. 11 of 2006 on the Governance of Aceh, and further elaborated in Aceh Qanun No. 3 of 2013 on the Aceh Flag and Emblem.
On this basis, PAJAN firmly asserts that lasting peace in Aceh must be safeguarded through respect for peace agreements, the rule of law, and human rights principles, rather than through coercive or securitized approaches. Aceh does not require security escalation; it requires a state response that is just, empathetic, and consistent with the commitments made under the peace process.
Ibnu Sakdan Abubakar
Executive Director
PAJAN – Peace and Justice for Action
