I write this not as someone from Aceh.
I write as an outsider — as a reader who believes that Aceh is too often misunderstood beyond its own land.
For many of us outside Aceh, Aceh is not merely a province.
Aceh is a name that appears whenever this nation speaks about courage, dignity, faith, and resistance against injustice.
Yet precisely because of that, from afar we sincerely ask:
Where is Aceh heading today?
From the outside, Aceh seems to be standing at a crossroads.
On one side, Aceh possesses
a great history, a strong identity, special autonomy, and national attention through the Special Autonomy Fund.
On the other side, we also read news about
persistent poverty,
unemployed university graduates,
recurrent floods,
and the voices of ordinary people that are often overshadowed by elite interests.
As outsiders, we do not wish to lecture Aceh.
We understand that only the people of Aceh truly know the wounds and hopes of their land.
But as readers, we wish to offer one honest reflection:
Aceh appears strong in symbols, but not yet firm enough in reforming its systems.
We see how Aceh carefully preserves values, traditions, and identity.
This is rare and precious in today’s world.
But we also quietly ask:
Have those values truly reached the halls of power?
Have integrity, accountability, and justice for the people become real standards in Aceh’s politics and bureaucracy?
From our perspective outside Aceh,
Islamic values, tradition, and Aceh’s great historical legacy should be reflected not only in public morality,
but first and foremost in public leadership and public policy.
What moves us the most is not political debate.
It is the stories of flood victims who wait too long for permanent housing,
families who have lost their homes,
and children growing up amid uncertainty.
From outside Aceh, we see that disasters in Aceh are no longer only natural events.
They have become a serious test of the government’s compassion and responsibility toward its people.
We wish to express a simple hope.
May Aceh not be known only for its glorious past,
but also for a just and dignified future.
We hope that one day, when people outside Aceh speak of Aceh, they will no longer think of
“a former conflict region,”
“a poor region,”
or “a disaster-prone area,”
but rather of
a region that has proven that Islamic values, local traditions, and modern governance can walk together with dignity.
And now, allow us — as readers from outside Aceh — to wait for your answer.
Not an answer in slogans.
But an answer in the form of
direction,
the courage of its young generation,
and the determination of its people to hold their leaders accountable.
Aceh, in our eyes, is far too valuable to remain only a story of the past.
We are waiting for your answer, Aceh.
Bila ada tulisan kirim ke email kami gppm.aceh@gmail.com
Buat dalam bahasa Inggris
