By: Indah Prameswari)
The government has demonstrated its commitment to accelerating post-flood and landslide recovery efforts in Aceh, particularly in Aceh Tamiang. These steps deserve appreciation as they reflect tangible progress toward improved conditions.
The central and regional governments, along with the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the National Police (Polri), have moved swiftly to restore access, repair basic infrastructure, and ensure that logistics and public services resume normal operations. One concrete measure taken is the establishment of the Kuala Task Force (Satgas Kuala) to ensure readiness for river normalization and the integrated recovery of flood-affected areas.
Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin emphasized that the deployment of heavy equipment by the Kuala Task Force is planned to begin around the second and third weeks of January. This approach ensures that river and estuary normalization efforts proceed in harmony with rehabilitation and reconstruction programs currently underway or planned by local governments as well as relevant ministries and agencies.
He stressed that the formation of the Kuala Task Force is not solely oriented toward dredging and river normalization. The task force also has broader strategic objectives, namely supporting recovery and strengthening the economic livelihoods of communities living along riverbanks and estuarine areas in Tamiang.
However, amid these collective efforts, the emergence of symbols associated with past conflicts has become a distraction that is irrelevant to the urgent needs of affected residents.
In fact, the post-disaster situation should be a space for humanitarian values. During the emergency response and rehabilitation phases, the primary focus is on saving lives, restoring livelihoods, and rebuilding a sense of security. When separatist political symbols such as the flag of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) appear at disaster sites, public attention risks being diverted from humanitarian priorities toward unproductive polarization.
Director of Merah Pusaka Strategic Indonesia (MPSI), Noor Azhari, expressed regret over the hoisting of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) flag amid the dire post-disaster conditions in Aceh. He firmly rejected the resurgence of such symbols.
According to him, disaster moments should serve as humanitarian spaces, not as stages for narcissistic demonstrations. The act of raising the GAM flag at disaster sites could divert the attention of security forces and volunteers who are fully engaged in evacuating residents, distributing aid, and ensuring public safety.
On the ground, volunteers and security personnel work under intense time pressure and risk. Evacuations, aid distribution, and the organization of temporary shelters require high levels of concentration and coordination. Provocative actions of any kind can disrupt focus and potentially create friction that should be avoided. In crisis situations, social stability is a prerequisite for ensuring aid reaches its intended recipients and that recovery efforts proceed effectively.
Noor also urged security forces to take proportional and persuasive yet firm measures to maintain a conducive situation. He emphasized that in disaster conditions, the priority should be solidarity and mutual assistance for victims, rather than any other agenda.
Critical perspectives from civil society further underscore these concerns. Several figures have noted that displaying separatist symbols amid public mourning is insensitive and risks undermining social cohesion. Disasters should foster empathy, not reignite old narratives that have long been agreed to be set aside in favor of peace and development.
Meanwhile, Secretary General of the Aceh NGO Forum, Wiratmadinata, called on the Acehnese people to remain vigilant and not be provoked into political matters by irresponsible parties. According to him, both the government and society must stay focused on post-disaster recovery efforts.
Furthermore, disaster-affected communities in Aceh need not worry about the government’s commitment to post-disaster recovery. The rapid pace of recovery in Aceh Tamiang demonstrates effective collaboration among multiple stakeholders.
Reopened road access, operational health services, and increasingly well-organized aid distribution indicate that recovery efforts are moving in the right direction. These achievements must be safeguarded from symbolic disruptions that offer no solutions. Instead, policy consistency and active community participation will determine whether recovery can be sustained.
Beyond that, the post-disaster momentum can serve as a turning point to strengthen social cohesion. Rehabilitation programs are not only about physical reconstruction, but also about socio-psychological recovery. Community dialogue, trauma counseling, and the strengthening of local economies will accelerate the return to normalcy. In this context, symbols of past conflicts have no place, as they contradict the very objectives of recovery.
Rejecting provocation does not mean denying differences of opinion. Rather, it reflects maturity in prioritizing shared safety and collective well-being. Aceh has proven that peace is a rational choice. Today, that choice is tested again—not in the political arena, but amid a disaster that demands empathy and concrete action.
Thus, post-flood recovery in Aceh Tamiang reflects collective maturity. When residents, government, and civil society agree to place humanity above all else, provocation loses its stage. What remains is tangible action, solidarity, and hope—the three elements most needed to rise together.
*) The author is a Security Issues Observer