Understanding the History of the Aceh Conflict (eBook)

This book is the first English translation of the original text Atjeh Sepintas Lalu published in 1950 in Bahasa Indonesia by one of Indonesia's leading lawyers,  writers, and political figures, examining the history of the continuously turbulent Aceh. The book describes the legal and political situation in Aceh between 1945 and 1949, considering the events and incidents that related to the government, judiciary, civil servants, and life of the parties at the time. It unpacks the dispute between two major streams of thoughts that cut across the people of Aceh during that era - one based on religious teachings, and the other on secular principles. What followed was the unavoidable emergence of disparate groups, which, in turn, yielded conflict. The author, as a former insider in the Aceh government, was able to uncover the 'inside story' on the ground, in analyzing and discussing this fragment of the history of Aceh. A unique resource, this translation - presented six decades after it was first made available - is still invaluable today, allowing readers to interpret the events that occurred in Aceh at the time in the context of an understanding of Aceh's development today. This book will be of keen interest to specialists in Islamic law, regionalism, historians of Indonesia, as well as social scientists interested in the early post-independence history of Indonesia.

Mr. Sutan Muhammad Amin, whose nickname was Krueng Raba Nasution, was born in the town of Lhok Ngah, currently in Aceh Besar district. In 1912 Amin entered the Europeesche Lagere School (ELS - an elementary level school) in Sabang by his father putting his birth year two years younger. Then with the blessing and support of his parents, Amin went to STOVIA medical school in Batavia in 1919, following in his brother Munir's footsteps.  Amin, however, could only managed to stay in STOVIA for two years, due to the emotional turmoil of someone who wanted something different, something new. Then in 1921 he moved to the MULO (Meer Uitgebreid Lager Onderwijs), which was a junior high school leveleducation, in Batavia. In mid 1927, Amin finished his school well and obtained the Diploma from the AMS Afd B Yogyakarta. After he finished law school at the Batavia Law School, he later returned to serve in his homeland. On July 16, 1934 Amin was accepted to work as Advocaat Procureur (Lawyer and Attorney) based in Kutaradja with the position of Lawyer and Attorney of the Court of Justice of Medan. Mr. Sutan Muhammad Amin was then appointed as the Junior Governor of North Sumatra, set by Vice President Drs. Mohammad Hatta. On 14 April 1947 Amin was subsequently sworn in as the Governor of North Sumatra.  Amin had written 20 books in his lifetime. Twelve of them were published by publishers in Medan, Jakarta, and Penang. The other eight have not yet been published, despite the fact that the books that he had written are highly qualified and carried with them the great value of the Amin's mind that was always busy pondering about government issues and caring about the course of the Indonesian nation. On 8 August 1991 Amin again received another medal of honor, namely the Bintang Jasa Utama, which was signed by President Soeharto. Then on 13 November 1991, he received the Bintang Legiun Veteran honorary medal, signed by the Head of the Legion of Veterans of the Republic of Indonesia.

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This book is the first English translation of the original text Atjeh Sepintas Lalu published in 1950 in Bahasa Indonesia by one of Indonesia's leading lawyers,  writers, and political figures, examining the history of the continuously turbulent Aceh. The book describes the legal and political situation in Aceh between 1945 and 1949, considering the events and incidents that related to the government, judiciary, civil servants, and life of the parties at the time. It unpacks the dispute between two major streams of thoughts that cut across the people of Aceh during that era - one based on religious teachings, and the other on secular principles. What followed was the unavoidable emergence of disparate groups, which, in turn, yielded conflict. The author, as a former insider in the Aceh government, was able to uncover the 'inside story' on the ground, in analyzing and discussing this fragment of the history of Aceh. A unique resource, this translation - presented six decades after it was first made available - is still invaluable today, allowing readers to interpret the events that occurred in Aceh at the time in the context of an understanding of Aceh's development today. This book will be of keen interest to specialists in Islamic law, regionalism, historians of Indonesia, as well as social scientists interested in the early post-independence history of Indonesia.