CHAPTER 2 – Uniting a Severed State
The tsunami brought not only destruction to the western coast of Aceh, the fierce waves also brought blessings to the region. The Agreement between the Republic of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) was signed in Helsinki on 15 August 2005, bringing down the isolation gate of Aceh; that was one of the tsunami’s blessings. It was as if the pounding ocean waves acted like the throbbing of a giant generator which, it must be acknowledged, ushered in several important changes to the Land of Seulawah, the Land Blessed by Allah.
As expected, the political elite in Jakarta held several opposing debates on the Helsinki Agreement.Some expressed gratitude, others considered the peace a reckless act, similar to the reckless driving ofa bus driver aiming only to obtain his minimal daily target. Megawati Soekarnoputri, who once vowed not to allow a single drop of blood to stain the soil of Aceh, even organised a movement to reject the peace agreement.
It is certainly not in my capacity to pass judgement on the Helsinki Agreement. The subject coverage is beyond my competence, considering that at present my knowledge about the ramifications of the Aceh conflict is very limited. I only wish to pose the questions: Have those who were fighting against each
other listened to the voices of the people of Aceh who have suffered so long and so immensely? Have they taken note of the frightened faces of Aceh children? Do they comprehend that the drawn-out conflict has impeded the recovery of Aceh?
Wartawan Tempo sejak 1998. Menjelajah berbagai desk, antara lain ekonomi, nasional, kesehatan, sains, gaya hidup, dan investigasi. Sejak Januari 2009 ditugasi menjadi Direktur Eksekutif Institut Tempo, sebuah lembaga yang dicita-citakan menjadi pusat pengembangan jurnalistik di Indonesia. Lulusan Fakultas Biologi, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, tahun 1996. Setelah lulus kuliah, bergabung dengan Majalah Warta Ekonomi (1996) sebagai staf riset dan kemudian menjadi reporter di majalah Panji Masyarakat (1997).