Aceh "bans" NYE

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https://coconuts.co/jakarta/news/ac...-and-tourists-from-celebrating-new-years-eve/

Meanwhile in Saudi-Arabia:

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1428031/saudi-arabia

"Thankfully for residents across the Kingdom looking for a bit of action, entertainment options are aplenty. "

"Western Sky Aviation in Jeddah will host a festival for families, which will include a fine arts section, a horror maze, a Hello Kitty-themed children’s corner and an Alice in Wonderland-themed theatrical play. "

"Along Jeddah’s waterfront, “X JED,” an outdoor concert-like event, will include live musical performances, light shows, a children’s play area and plenty of good food. "

"In addition, an internationally acclaimed circus act will perform at Jeddah’s Jungle Land Theme Park. "

And many many more.

Not to mention the UAE of course..




What makes NYE so haram in Aceh when even Saudi-Arabia organizes events?
 
The news article from Saudi is a year old, but hopefully they are allowing a party again this year. As Saudi is the birthplace of Aceh's god you would think the Acehnese people would consider it blasphemy to not follow in their lead, or perhaps Aceh's form of Islam is as deviant as the Ahmadiyah
 
Aceh should just announce they cancel the holiday be it christmas or new year. See what happens then when no one gets holiday days.
 
The news article from Saudi is a year old, but hopefully they are allowing a party again this year. As Saudi is the birthplace of Aceh's god you would think the Acehnese people would consider it blasphemy to not follow in their lead, or perhaps Aceh's form of Islam is as deviant as the Ahmadiyah

Saudi Arabia has nothing to do with Aceh's Islamic character, and frankly the Arabs do not own Islam.

I don't get why the insistence that the indigenous peoples of Aceh, the only people whose opinion actually matters when it comes to holidays celebrated in Aceh, adhere to holidays of your choosing?

There's another level to this that must be considered when talking about any level of legislating morality in Aceh. Local government in Aceh is constantly testing the boundaries of their autonomy agreement. It works on a lot of levels for them: it's an expression of Aceh's sovereignty, it's a chance to demonstrate indigenous rights and, perhaps most importantly, it's an opportunity to cause headaches for the central government.

The end game is now and has always been referendum leading to independence for Aceh.
 
Independence for Aceh is not going to happen. Independence for Aceh would enormously increase pressures for independence for Irian Jaya. And, as I recall, there were something like eleven regions in the past that also wanted independence.
However much one might sympathize with these aspirations the cost in lives and development are enormous. Bougainville recently had a huge "yes" result for independence from Papua New Guinea but the parliament has yet to agree. If it happens this small nation state would take many years to begin developing even were the huge gold mine to resume operations. A civil war which began in 1988 cost between 15,000 and 20,000 lives. Most armies behave atrociously in putting down rebellions so a lot more blood is to be spilled across the Indonesian archipelago were armed uprising to rise up yet again in Aceh.
 
Saudi Arabia has nothing to do with Aceh's Islamic character, and frankly the Arabs do not own Islam.

I don't get why the insistence that the indigenous peoples of Aceh, the only people whose opinion actually matters when it comes to holidays celebrated in Aceh, adhere to holidays of your choosing?

There's another level to this that must be considered when talking about any level of legislating morality in Aceh. Local government in Aceh is constantly testing the boundaries of their autonomy agreement. It works on a lot of levels for them: it's an expression of Aceh's sovereignty, it's a chance to demonstrate indigenous rights and, perhaps most importantly, it's an opportunity to cause headaches for the central government.

The end game is now and has always been referendum leading to independence for Aceh.
The "Aceh Independence" pipedream lives on! As long as there is a wealth of natural resources in Papua, Indonesia cannot afford to have ANY provinces break away. (Yeah, yeah, Aceh has natural resources as well, but nowhere near the amount that Papua has.) Besides, even amongst my more conservative Sundanese friends, Aceh is a laughingstock with its medieval penalties and over-the-top fundamentalism. Aceh may be a black sheep province, but if there is one thing on which the overwhelming majority of the government and military can agree, it is that there will be no departures from the flock. Indonesia BERSATU!
 
I don't get why the insistence that the indigenous peoples of Aceh, the only people whose opinion actually matters when it comes to holidays celebrated in Aceh, adhere to holidays of your choosing?

The end game is now and has always been referendum leading to independence for Aceh.
The holiday is a national holiday of which they happily take. Just cancel the holiday all together and take away that time off. I believe there there may many indigenous people that would not be too happy. Let's face it Dan, Aceh will never get independence. Try as they might they will just dig themselves into a deeper hole of ridicule from the rest of Indonesia. They may become a completely isolated area but will never have independence. It's a pipe dream probably created from their largest import.
 
The "Aceh Independence" pipedream lives on! As long as there is a wealth of natural resources in Papua, Indonesia cannot afford to have ANY provinces break away. (Yeah, yeah, Aceh has natural resources as well, but nowhere near the amount that Papua has.) Besides, even amongst my more conservative Sundanese friends, Aceh is a laughingstock with its medieval penalties and over-the-top fundamentalism. Aceh may be a black sheep province, but if there is one thing on which the overwhelming majority of the government and military can agree, it is that there will be no departures from the flock. Indonesia BERSATU!

It was this attitude by which my relatives lost their lives. You describe Aceh and its penalties as "medieval," how do they stack up against Indonesia's war crimes in the region? For the sake of Indonesian nationalism, for the sake of its political ideology, many were tortured, raped, disenfranchised and murdered. Aceh is lambasted as being "backwards," and the crimes of Indonesia's government can be overlooked.

The lot of you would weep at the purges of PKI, but because Aceh's people dared to fight back, dared to be Muslim, dared to openly call out Indonesia as the colonial successor to the Dutch you suddenly lose your senses and call them "medieval." Blaming the victim, not the aggressor.

As I am here, rocking an Acehnese child back to sleep, I think about whether or not I can trust Indonesia to protect my three children. Recent history suggests that Indonesia can never be entrusted with Acehnese lives. How can I, as a father, tell my children to trust in the Republic which claims them? How can I instill in them faith in a unitary Indonesia when they grow up knowing their uncle had his head sawn off on the side of the road by Indonesian forces?

There is no answer for Aceh but total separation. It's only a pipe dream until it isn't.
 
The holiday is a national holiday of which they happily take. Just cancel the holiday all together and take away that time off. I believe there there may many indigenous people that would not be too happy. Let's face it Dan, Aceh will never get independence. Try as they might they will just dig themselves into a deeper hole of ridicule from the rest of Indonesia. They may become a completely isolated area but will never have independence. It's a pipe dream probably created from their largest import.

And does the Aceh government set the policy for national holidays? Or is that imposed from elsewhere? If such a holiday were replaced by another in the interest of the local populace, do you really believe it would be met with disfavor?

The point is that such a holiday is perceived as an imposition. That you or the Republic of Indonesia think that New Year's Eve is an essential holiday means little. What matters is what the local people think. If they prefer to celebrate the Hijri New Year, what's it to you?

Really, why is it that this sets you off? "They don't want to celebrate New Year's! Blasphemy!" I mean, really? Why's that a reason to make them the object of scorn and derision?
 
Dan, your family experiences were horrific and your anger is understandable but the intensity of your anger is a corrosive danger to your mental well being. I don't suggest that you have not a right to be so upset but ultimately hating anyone who is not Acehnese is more likely to bring more personal grief and the intensity is at a level that can lead people to striking out in ways that can lead to frightful consequences. Will you pass on this intense hatred on to your children.?

Here is a quote from an Islamic website. It is said: “To err is human and to forgive is divine.” Both parts of this statement are very true. As human beings we are responsible, but we do also make mistakes and we are constantly in need of forgiveness. Islam speaks about two elements of forgiveness: a) God’s forgiveness; b) Human forgiveness. We need both, because we do wrong in our relations to God as well as in our relations to each other.
 
This is like a flashback to 2015 and discussions on the old website with the same poster claiming amputations for theft are a good thing, because in any case the limbs can be reattached later. If I hadn't actually been there a few times I would share the opinions of most Indonesians that people in that province are crazies.
 
And does the Aceh government set the policy for national holidays? Or is that imposed from elsewhere? If such a holiday were replaced by another in the interest of the local populace, do you really believe it would be met with disfavor?

The point is that such a holiday is perceived as an imposition. That you or the Republic of Indonesia think that New Year's Eve is an essential holiday means little. What matters is what the local people think. If they prefer to celebrate the Hijri New Year, what's it to you?

Really, why is it that this sets you off? "They don't want to celebrate New Year's! Blasphemy!" I mean, really? Why's that a reason to make them the object of scorn and derision?
Sets me off Dan? How about you getting the entire post wong. I could care less if your bothers and sisters never celebrate New years. Celebrate whatever the hell you want. I just said holiday in referring to the day off. Sure, the National Government sets the holidays, not I, but I am sure since Aceh does most of what they please, they could just cancel that day on the calendar and everyone works. That is what I think they would not like at all. By the way, I could care less about New Years. I just stay home and turn up the TV or music to drown out all the outside noise.

Rocking those kids back to sleep I have to wonder if it is they that are fussy or you. Get some sleep Dan.
 
Huh, when did these torture, rape, murders by the Indonesian government to Acehnese happen? In my last 9 years living in Indonesia what I've heard are the Acehnese who are doing those things. But I guess I'm just taking the news from biased websites reporting fake news :
- https://time.com/91873/aceh-sharia-law-islam-rape-kelantan-brunei/
"It all began when a group of eight men raided a woman’s home last week and caught a 25-year-old widow with a married man. Accusing them of adultery, the vigilantes, who included a 13-year-old boy, beat up the 40-year-old man, gang-raped the woman and doused the two with sewage before turning them over to the Shari‘a police "

- http://www.wluml.org/node/5848
"Langsa Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Yosi Muhammartha said the three suspects were accused of jointly raping a university student when she was held in a cell at the station.
The woman was gang-raped by the three Sharia policeman during her interrogation, he added. "

- channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/indonesian-faints-during-whipping-sharia-law-aceh-12156210
"An Indonesian man who fainted as he was being whipped for pre-marital sex Thursday (Dec 5) was revived to receive the rest of his punishment before being rushed to hospital. "

- https://www.thejakartapost.com/news...-unconscious-in-public-floggings-in-aceh.html
"Also on Thursday, the Aceh Tamiang Prosecutor’s Office head of general crimes, Roby Syahputra, said one woman who was one among 33 people being caned in Aceh Tamiang regency fainted after she completed her sentence of 30 strokes, a punishment she received after she was allegedly caught being too close to a man. "

What I heard as well are the following involvement and resources being spent by the Indonesian government for growth and development of Aceh:
-https://today.line.me/id/pc/article...+Aceh+Andaman+Connectivity+Development-0XeY72
"The joint task force (JTF) led jointly by the Director of South and Central Asia of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry and Joint Secretary South of Indian Foreign Ministry.
The JTF's members comprise officials of ministries and government institutions, local government, business operators from both countries.
The joint task force was established as a follow up of the keenness of both countries' leaders in 2018 to develop connectivity between two nearest regions. "

- http://kpbu.djppr.kemenkeu.go.id/en...-project-zainoel-abidin-public-hospital-aceh/
"Zainoel Abidin Pubic Hospital Aceh is the first PPP project in Aceh that received Project Development Facility (PDF) from the Ministry of Finance through assignments to PT PII (Persero). The project, which has Capital Expenditure value of around IDR 1.5 – 2 trillion, will be collaborated for the next 15 years by using Availability Payment (AP) scheme. "

- https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/02/11/unutilized-assets-in-aceh-open-for-investment.html
"The SEZ, located more than 250 kilometers to the southeast of provincial capital Banda Aceh, was inaugurated by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in December last year. The economic zone was designed to specialize in energy, petrochemicals and the agroindustry, among others. "


As far as I know, in 2019 and for 2020, the Indonesian government gave around 600 million USD each year (total 1.2 Billion USD) in a special fund JUST for Aceh. This does not include the regular funds that go to Aceh as part of its general allocation budget (DAU), special allocation budget (DAK), and other activities (and part of its income from the national government). What this fund is a special autonomy region fund that only Aceh, Papua, and West Papua gets and Aceh has been receiving this fund since 2008.

- https://www.thejakartapost.com/acad...pervision-needed-of-acehs-autonomy-funds.html
"Of note are projects with no relation to the people’s economic empowerment such as luxurious buildings for regents’ offices, the palace for the Wali Nanggroe, Aceh’s “guardian”, and the electric umbrella for the Great Mosque Baiturrahman. "

"
At election time, politicians can simply blame farmers’ economic problems on the central government, or divert voters with trivial issues such as the Aceh flag, anthem or other official symbols.

So, after 10 years, special autonomy funding has only made politicians and contractors rich with no significant pressure from society, while the rest of society, except civil servants need to struggle to survive.

Criticism is much louder against Jakarta rather than against the powerful in Aceh. "

- https://www.thejakartapost.com/news...ho-became-governor-jailed-for-corruption.html
"Once a leader of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM), Irwandi was first elected governor in 2007. He was later reelected in 2017.
Irwandi is the second Aceh governor to be convicted of corruption after Abdullah Puteh, who was sentenced to 10 years for accepting a bribe in connection to the procurement of an US$872,500 MI-2 Rostov helicopter."

-https://kompak.or.id/en/article/gov...grated-e-planning-and-e-budgeting-application
"This integrated e-planning and e-budgeting system is supported by a partnership between the Government of Australia and the Government of Indonesia through the KOMPAK Program. The system’s development was based on MoHA regulation 98 of 2018 regarding Regional Government Information System (SIPD) under the direction of the Directorate for Regional Development, Ministry of Home Affairs. "
 
Huh, when did these torture, rape, murders by the Indonesian government to Acehnese happen? In my last 9 years living in Indonesia what I've heard are the Acehnese who are doing those things. But I guess I'm just taking the news from biased websites reporting fake news :


That there is crime in Aceh, or that local authorities abuse their power is not a surprise. That's everywhere. That's not a matter of policy, it's not a systematic effort to crush the local people.

Our uncle's murder was part of Indonesia's effort to normalize the subjugation of the indigenous people. He was accused, without proof, of being a member of GAM. He wasn't. He was just a local merchant. Transmigrants wanted his business, so they told the authorities he was GAM.

And that's how he ended up tortured onto death.

His wife ended up being forced to become a sharecropper to survive with their children. They've never received justice for the crime committed, even though they know some of the people involved. There's been no reparations for their family, no justice.

The story for my relatives isn't unique in Aceh. Every family has a similar story. Some of them shared those stories with me. They were all horrifying.

Knowing what I know from people with firsthand knowledge of Indonesia's atrocities, I have a hard time accepting an attitude as dismissive as yours. "Well, with my nine years of experience in..." Man, my wife had to duck and cover regularly at school because TNI was shooting at suspected GAM targets. She grew up in a conflict zone. When she and others tell me about this I'm inclined to believe them. It's well documented.

So let's talk about this not as a fanciful figment of delusional minds, but as the reality for a generation of Acehnese and Gayo people. Indonesia needs to answer for that, and it needs to do so in a meaningful way to the victims.

Or it needs to let Aceh go.
 
Dan, your family experiences were horrific and your anger is understandable but the intensity of your anger is a corrosive danger to your mental well being. I don't suggest that you have not a right to be so upset but ultimately hating anyone who is not Acehnese is more likely to bring more personal grief and the intensity is at a level that can lead people to striking out in ways that can lead to frightful consequences. Will you pass on this intense hatred on to your children.?

Here is a quote from an Islamic website. It is said: “To err is human and to forgive is divine.” Both parts of this statement are very true. As human beings we are responsible, but we do also make mistakes and we are constantly in need of forgiveness. Islam speaks about two elements of forgiveness: a) God’s forgiveness; b) Human forgiveness. We need both, because we do wrong in our relations to God as well as in our relations to each other.

A few things to say on the bolded portion. I am not an Acehnese. I don't hate anyone who isn't Acehnese. I don't hate Indonesians. Can you show where I held such sentiments? I'm calling people out for their commentary on Aceh, that's all.

I do believe firmly in holding Indonesia accountable for its actions in Aceh and elsewhere. I hold similar opinions about Papua and West Papua. It's consistent. It's fair. It's ethical. I also believe that separatism is the only way to ensure a future for my children. The ideology that was used to justify violence against their people is still, now and forever, the ideology of the Indonesian state. With that said, there is no alternative in my mind.
 
This is like a flashback to 2015 and discussions on the old website with the same poster claiming amputations for theft are a good thing, because in any case the limbs can be reattached later. If I hadn't actually been there a few times I would share the opinions of most Indonesians that people in that province are crazies.

The conversation, as I recall it, was hypothetical and based on a near future where limbs could be reattached. My observation was this: if we can reattach a limb we can make amends in the case of wrongful or malicious prosecution. If we wrongfully prosecute someone and punish them with incarceration, we cannot return their lost time. My question was, which would then be more ethical?

I am not a supporter of amputation as a means of punishment. I'm similarly not a supporter of stoning.
 
The conversation, as I recall it, was hypothetical and based on a near future where limbs could be reattached. My observation was this: if we can reattach a limb we can make amends in the case of wrongful or malicious prosecution. If we wrongfully prosecute someone and punish them with incarceration, we cannot return their lost time. My question was, which would then be more ethical?

I am not a supporter of amputation as a means of punishment. I'm similarly not a supporter of stoning.
Dan , you are not supporter of amputation and you are not supporter of stoning BUT would you be the one ,who rise the hand against it and disagree with this kind of punishment and protest or you would just keep your voice down , you know this makes huge difference
It was this attitude by which my relatives lost their lives. You describe Aceh and its penalties as "medieval," how do they stack up against Indonesia's war crimes in the region? For the sake of Indonesian nationalism, for the sake of its political ideology, many were tortured, raped, disenfranchised and murdered. Aceh is lambasted as being "backwards," and the crimes of Indonesia's government can be overlooked.

The lot of you would weep at the purges of PKI, but because Aceh's people dared to fight back, dared to be Muslim, dared to openly call out Indonesia as the colonial successor to the Dutch you suddenly lose your senses and call them "medieval." Blaming the victim, not the aggressor.

As I am here, rocking an Acehnese child back to sleep, I think about whether or not I can trust Indonesia to protect my three children. Recent history suggests that Indonesia can never be entrusted with Acehnese lives. How can I, as a father, tell my children to trust in the Republic which claims them? How can I instill in them faith in a unitary Indonesia when they grow up knowing their uncle had his head sawn off on the side of the road by Indonesian forces?

There is no answer for Aceh but total separation. It's only a pipe dream until it isn't.
 

That there is crime in Aceh, or that local authorities abuse their power is not a surprise. That's everywhere. That's not a matter of policy, it's not a systematic effort to crush the local people.

Our uncle's murder was part of Indonesia's effort to normalize the subjugation of the indigenous people. He was accused, without proof, of being a member of GAM. He wasn't. He was just a local merchant. Transmigrants wanted his business, so they told the authorities he was GAM.

And that's how he ended up tortured onto death.

So let's talk about this not as a fanciful figment of delusional minds, but as the reality for a generation of Acehnese and Gayo people. Indonesia needs to answer for that, and it needs to do so in a meaningful way to the victims.

26 years ago. Same as what happened in 1965 to alleged members of communist party members. Same as what happened in 1998 in Jakarta and a few other places in Indonesia to the Indonesian-Chinese.

As long as the Acehnese commoners are lead by its elite to not acknowledge any efforts by the Indonesian government to make amends and instead try to keep their own elite status by driving a wedge, the Acehnese commoners will NEVER join the modern world. Aceh elites keep using religion and its interpretation of the holy books to oppress and to control the masses.

Or it needs to let Aceh go.
Personally I see no reason why Indonesia wouldn't just let Aceh go. Many Indonesians are already hesitant to go to Aceh even for tourism. Let its corrupt leaders open up its natural resources and ruin the environment: https://time.com/4635994/leuser-national-park-unesco-sumatra-aceh/

Timor is a good example, Dili is a far cry from the growth that's happening in Kupang.
 
Well, well, @Dan, IMHO a dads first priority is the security and wellbeeing of his kids (whatever religion, color or race). If you have even the slighest doubt about the country / place you live in can provide that, than it is time to grab them (the kids) and move on to more secure places.
As simple as that.
PS : With only 2 y in Bali I am a newbie here, but sure not a newbie in Asia ot the world. And I have 3 kids, multi racial.
You sound angry, bitter etc.....

Sorry mate, dont blame others.
All the best.
 

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