Rawan Is as Rawan Does: The Origins of Disorder in New Order Aceh

Despite its best efforts to provide a congenial environment for foreign investment and domestic corruption, over thirty-odd years the New Order regime confronted scenes of increasing chaos, violence, and political disintegration from Sabang in the west to Merauke in the east. The problem was especially acute in Aceh, Irian Jaya, and East Timor-the three regions designated by the authorities as daerah rawan or "trouble spots" for much of the last two decades. In each of these regions the government faced significant demands for greater autonomy or independence spearheaded by armed political movements.1 The regime met each of these challenges with massive military operations, in the course of which hundreds of thousands of people were killed. As though to justify the harshness of its approach, the government referred to the resistance movements as Gerakan Pengacau Keamanan (GPK) or "Security Disruptor Movements."