By: Silmi Mubharok*)
Recovery after the hydrometeorological disaster in Aceh continues to show tangible progress. Various government agencies, along with the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), humanitarian agencies, and the community, are working together to restore the environment, public facilities, and the lives of residents affected by floods and landslides. Amidst these recovery efforts, the Acehnese people are also reaffirming their commitment to maintaining unity by rejecting all forms of separatist symbols and narratives that have the potential to disrupt social stability and the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).
The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) is at the forefront of accelerating recovery, particularly through the management of wood left over from the disaster in Sumatra. As of the 15th day of implementation, the focus of activities has been on Langkahan District, North Aceh Regency. An integrated team from the Ministry of Forestry, comprising the Gunung Leuser National Park Agency (BBTNGL), the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), the Watershed Management Agency (BPDAS), the Forest Area Stabilization Agency (BPKH), and the Sumatra Regional Law Enforcement Agency, worked in collaboration with the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Ministry of Public Works to ensure the cleanup was swift and effective.
A total of 23 units of heavy equipment were deployed in this operation, consisting of 21 units belonging to the Ministry of Forestry—including claw excavators, bucket excavators, and dozers—plus two units belonging to the TNI and two units from the Ministry of Public Works. The heavy equipment focused on clearing wood clogging rivers, waterways, and residential areas. Additionally, one unit of heavy equipment was used to clear the ditches and yard of SMP Negeri 3 Langkahan, ensuring a swift return to normal educational activities.
Dozens of Ministry of Forestry personnel were also deployed directly to the field. Around 50 personnel cleaned up Langkahan 4 Public Elementary School, with significant results, including a library, a sports hall, and four bathrooms previously buried by flood debris. This effort served as a strong symbol of the state’s presence in restoring vital public spaces.
The utilization of wood from the disaster was also carried out in a measured and responsible manner. Based on field observations, the collaboration between the humanitarian organization Rumah Zakat and the local community was able to utilize approximately three cubic meters of wood in just one day, using seven chainsaws. Cumulatively, from December 29, 2025, to January 3, 2026, the wood utilization reached approximately 18.5 cubic meters. This wood was used to support the construction of temporary housing (huntara), of which three units are currently under construction.
In other areas, such as Aceh Tamiang Regency, recovery efforts also continued. Personnel from the North Sumatra BPKH (Rescue Fund for the Poor) and the Manggala Agni team cleared residents’ homes of remaining wood materials in residential alleys. This activity not only accelerated physical recovery but also restored a sense of security and comfort to post-disaster residents. The visit of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Coordinator, Brigadier General Asep, to the location strengthened cross-sector coordination and ensured that the utilization of wood left over from the disaster was carried out according to regulations and on target.
Amidst the recovery process, serious concerns arose regarding the issue of unity and stability. The Executive Director of Arus Survei Indonesia, Ali Rif’an, reminded the government and public to be vigilant regarding the practice of raising the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) flag in public spaces. He stated that the symbol has strong ideological and political significance and cannot be considered merely a cultural expression.
Ali emphasized that historically, the GAM flag has been the identity of an armed separatist movement that once threatened state sovereignty. Normalizing this symbol risks opening up space for the delegitimization of the state and disrupting the social harmony that has been established post-peace. He also strongly criticized the efforts of certain parties to exploit the grief caused by the disaster to construct a narrative of injustice and provocation.
According to Ali, the current pattern of separatist threats has shifted. Threats no longer come in the form of weapons, but rather through symbols, emotional narratives, and opinion manipulation in public and digital spaces. Therefore, the state is required to be adaptive and contextual, by strengthening its presence, public services, and communications that reassure the public.
The Acehnese people’s firm stance in rejecting symbols of separatism reflects political maturity and a commitment to maintaining peace. Amidst the hard work of restoring life after the disaster, the community chose to join hands, strengthen solidarity, and ensure Aceh remains an integral part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. Physical and social recovery proceeded in tandem, ensuring that the disaster did not become anot a gap for division, but rather a momentum to strengthen unity and trust in the state.
In closing, the sustainability of post-disaster recovery in Aceh emphasizes that the state’s presence is not only realized through physical development, but also through protecting social unity and peace. Synergy between the government, authorities, humanitarian agencies, and the community is a crucial foundation for ensuring Aceh emerges stronger, safer, and more empowered. By rejecting separatist symbols and narratives, the people of Aceh demonstrate their commitment to maintaining the peace they have achieved, while also sending a strong message that the recovery process must proceed in a spirit of togetherness for the sake of a stable, prosperous future for Aceh, and remain firmly within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
*) Social observer