Coordinating Minister Yusril: Government to Address Various Issues Facing Acehnese Society

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra expressed hope that the situation in Aceh remains calm following unrest during the Aceh Peace Day commemoration. He called on all elements of society to maintain peace and work together to address the various issues still facing the people of Aceh. “Hopefully the atmosphere in Aceh is now conducive, and all parties are maintaining calm, tranquillity, and peace. We respect all elements of Acehnese society who equally love the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia,” Yusril said at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday (17/8). Yusril stressed that the government respects all groups in Acehnese society who hold a love for Indonesia. According to him, the various shortcomings that still exist within society need to be resolved together so that conditions in the region continue to improve. “And of course, we will also work together to overcome the various shortcomings that exist within society, which is our shared task to improve the situation,” he said. The call for unity was delivered amid a situation in Aceh that was marked by unrest during the 21st anniversary of Peace Day in Banda Aceh. The unrest began when some members of the crowd from various community elements attempted to raise a crescent-and-star flag on one of the poles in the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque complex. The plan to raise the flag was then prohibited by Indonesian Army personnel guarding the mosque fence. The situation escalated into unrest during the commemoration.