By: Muhammad Farhan)*
The people of Aceh reject the hoisting of the star moon which is identical to the banned organization, the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The people of Aceh are aware that the raising is contrary to the constitution and harms the spirit of Indonesian unity.
Indonesia is a democratic country and is based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution. However, there was a turmoil in Aceh that began in 1976, when there was GAM (the Aceh independence movement) who wanted to defect, arguing that they wanted to establish a state based on religion, not democracy. This movement is certainly illegal and can only be overcome decades later.
After the tsunami in Aceh, in 2005 to be precise, there was an agreement between the government and GAM. They agreed to make peace and GAM promised not to invite the people in Tanah Rencong to defect. This peace is sorely missed because civilians do not want conflict in beloved Aceh, which is caused by attacks by GAM members.
However, there are combatants who are still roaming around secretly and then provoking the people of Aceh to raise the star moon flag or the GAM flag. The reason is that December 4th is GAM’s birthday, so they want to celebrate it by raising the flag.
Mukhlis Basyah, Chairman of the Aceh Transitional Committee (KPA) stated that no community should fly the star moon flag, before or during GAM’s birthday. In a sense, he wants the atmosphere to remain conducive and that no other flag is flown except the red and white as a symbol of Indonesian sovereignty.
Mukhlis, the former regent of Aceh Besar, advised that on GAM’s birthday, he collaborated with the Police and the TNI. The goal is to keep the situation conducive on D-day (GAM’s birthday). In a sense, don’t let the anniversary even trigger riots and ultimately the people who are harmed because they cause injuries.
GAM’s birthday is indeed exciting because there is the potential for riots. Although this rebel organization has signed a peace agreement, it is afraid that former combatants will secretly guerrilla and then ‘go down the mountain’ and invite the people of Tanah Rencong to jointly raise the star moon flag, as a symbol of independence in Aceh.
Do not let GAM rise again because there should be no defections in Indonesia. There can’t be a state within a state because it would be very confusing. Moreover, the people of Aceh do not want to be invited by GAM to fight, because they also do not want to be invited to create their own country. They are very loyal to Indonesia and do not want to be invited to fly a flag other than red and white.
Aramiko Aritonang, a Gayo community leader, stated that the star moon flag does not reflect the Acehnese people as a whole. He prefers to fly the red and white flag as a symbol of loyalty to Indonesia.
When there is a star moon flag that is hoisted it will be immediately lowered by the authorities. This is to prevent potential riots, and according to the rules, all Indonesian citizens are not allowed to fly a flag other than the red and white flag.
Meanwhile, some residents in West Aceh held a convoy waving the red and white flag. They firmly rejected the flag of the moon and stars and the establishment of an independent Aceh state.
The raising of flags other than red and white is certainly prohibited in Indonesia, including the star moon flag.
The flag, which became a symbol of GAM, was banned because it expressed a person’s attitude to support the Acehnese independence movement and to be disloyal to Indonesia. The people of Tanah Rencong firmly reject the raising of the star moon flag and prefer red and white.
)* The author is a contributor to the Indonesian Institute of Strategic Information Studies