Reconfiguring politics: the Indonesia - Aceh peace process

This journal chronicles the roots of the Aceh conflict and the primary factors that facilitated the success of Aceh's peace initiative that culminated in the Memorandum of Understanding in Helsinki in 2005.  It notes that for the people of Aceh, the years of conflict in the province are synonymous with appalling human rights violations. President Ahtisaari and Hamid Awaluddin government's chief negotiator during the Helsinki process, describe their experiences. The journal:  

• outlines obstacles and solutions during the Helsinki negotiations which are unfolding within the context of a hidden, often predatory economy.
  

• describes the key features of the EU's Aceh Monitoring Mission

• describes how civil society organisations (CSOs) assisted in monitoring security during the peace process and shows the positive role women have played roles as advocates of peace in Aceh

• explains the election process and describes the transition of the Free Aceh Movement from 'rebels to administrators' and shows that corrupt practices, including illegal logging, drugs, prostitution, and protection are in existence

• explores links between peace, development, reconstruction, and economic rehabilitation in Aceh.
  
  The authors conclude that security in Aceh has held remarkably well although campaigns to split it into two new provinces appear to be gaining momentum. They call for a pragmatic approach to implementing the Law on the Governing of Aceh to avoid renewed conflict. They also recommend that sustainable peace needs to be linked to economic growth, aimed at normalizing the livelihoods of victims of both the conflict and the tsunami.