Verandah of Violence: The Background to the Aceh Problem

Separatist feeling in Aceh, Indonesia's westernmost province, has deep historical roots but it is often dismissed as a reaction to a heavy-handed military presence in the area since 1989. With Indonesia's 1998 democratisation, expressions of regional feelings and resentment of the military increased throughout the country, and Aceh became the next potential candidate to break away from the Indonesia Republic after East Timor. While Indonesia's claims on Aceh seem securely based in the common struggle for independence from the Dutch, Aceh entered the then newly-independent country of Indonesia after 1945 with an unparalleled history of determination to resist outside domination. This determination was directed against the Dutch in the period 1873-1950, but then turned quickly against the new holders of power in Jakarta. Aceh was largely absent from world headlines until the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. As images of the suffering of the Acehnese people beamed across the world, the need for well-informed international aid for its reconstruction became evident. This timely book on the history of Aceh and the Aceh problem contains a balanced coverage from leading authorities in history, political science and journalism. It is the best introduction to Aceh available in English.