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BANDA
ACEH, often just shortened to BANDA, is the capital
of Aceh province, the most staunchly Islamic province
of Indonesia . Aceh is located in the Northwestern of
Sumatra Island and consists of 119 islands, 73 major rivers
and 2 lakes. Aceh was Indonesia’s first Islamic
kingdom, established in 804. The region’s position
as an Islamic stronghold grew as the city became a center
for Islamic learning and the gateway for Indonesians making
the pilgrimage to Mecca.. |
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Over
the centuries, a constant influx of traders and immigrants
established Aceh as a wealthy and influential trading
nation, possessing a strong sense of independence. |
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Background
History |
The
Dutch were ousted from Aceh for the last time in 1942,
immediately before the WWII Japanese occupation of Sumatra.
From 1945 until Indonesia achieved independence in 1949,
Aceh was ruled by Daud Beureueh, the leader of an Islamic
modernist movement. The new nation's living-together philosophy
didn't go down too well with the staunchly Muslim Acehnese,
who rebelled against being lumped together with the Christian
Bataks in the newly created province of North Sumatra
in 1951.
Led
by Beureueh, they declared an independent Islamic republic
in 1953. Aceh was conferred special provincial status
within Indonesia in 1959, which provided for substantial
autonomy in religious, educational, cultural affairs and
adat (customary law) – which in Aceh is largely
a watered-down version of the Islamic law of the Middle
East:~ steal something in the province, for example, and
your hand will be broken, rather than amputated.
Although industrialization and global communications have
created a greater openness to western ideas and practices,
visitors should keep in mind that the Acehnese take their
religion, their manners and their morals very seriously. |
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Recent
History with Acehnese Separatists
Ever since the declaration of independence in 1945, Aceh
has tried to break away from the Indonesian republic,
Since 1990 over 6000 people lost their lives, as the Free
Aceh Movement (GAM) formed in 1976, tried to galvanize
Acehnese resistance to what it saw as exploitation by
transmigrants, big business and the Jakarta government.
The late 1990s were particularly violent years, and deaths,
tortures, disappearances and arbitrary arrests became
the norm. |
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the next eight years the province came under near martial
law. Following Soharto's resignation in 1998, GAM upped
the tempo of its resistance and the conflict spread across
the province.
Finally as a result of the Tsunami devastation in December
2004 , a lasting peace settlement with the Free Aceh Movement
(GAM) was reached in the summer of 2005 and much of the
province has opened up to international aid organisations,
helping to rebuild after the Indian Ocean tsunami. |
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Tsunami
December 26 2004
Northern parts of the island of Sumatra and particularly
the province of Aceh, suffered severe damage following
an earthquake and series of tsunami waves in December
2004. Just 10minutes after an offshore earthquake measuring
9.1 rocked the Aceh Province on 26 December, 2004, modern
history’s most devastating Tsunami hit Sumatra Island |
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Communications
infrastructure, roads, medical care and tourist facilities
on the western and northern coasts of Sumatra, and on
coastal islands off Sumatra, were seriously damaged. Ground
Zero, the area around the city of Banda Aceh was crushed
within minutes with some coastal towns such as Leupung
losing 80% of its residents. |
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The
9.1-magnitude earthquake hit at 6:58 am local time, and
was centered 155 miles south-southeast of Banda Aceh.
The streets in Banda Aceh were filled with overturned
cars and rotting corpses. Shopping malls and office buildings
lay in rubble, and thousands of homeless families huddled
in mosques and schools. |
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Prior
to the Tsunami, this scene demonstrates the evening tranquility
of walking along the beach front near Banda Aceh. |
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The
Tsunami destroyed this same fishing fleet and dumped one
large Fishing vessel unceremoniously on the roof of a
nearby house |
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| Farm
animals were killed and crops washed away or ruined by saltwater
floods. Many water reservoirs and wells could not be used
because of water pollution, while irrigation and drainage
facilities were destroyed. |
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Aquaculture
will take five years to rebuild – United Nations
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said it
will take five years for farming and fishing communities
in Indonesia's Aceh province to rebuild their livelihoods
in the wake of the tsunami. FAO Director General Jacques
Diouf said he is "particularly concerned" for
agricultural areas and fisheries in Aceh, citing that
a "long-term plan of five years" is needed to
rebuild both sectors. |
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MTI is focusing on the following 3 areas:
- Medical care
- Development projects for the needy including those widowed by the tsunami
- Children's education |
Two years after the tsunami, the region of Aceh has changed greatly. Much has been rebuilt, but much remains to be done. Despite the massive relief and development projects that have taken place, buildings are still in disrepair, residents still live in barracks, and many of Aceh's residents remain in poverty. However, the flood of relief workers into the region has brought an unprecedented openness to foreigners and there are wonderful opportunities to show love to Muslim neighbors and friends.
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Contact
Mailing Address |
Mercy
Teams International ( Indonesia )
Loyang Offshore Supply Base
Loyang Crescent
P.O. Box 5134
Singapore 508988
Contact
Person for Indonesia :
Administration Manager
Tel / Fax : (+65) 6546 4797
Email Address: admin@mercyteams.net
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©
2006 Mercy Teams International Ltd- All Rights Reserved.
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