Nearly five weeks after devastating floods struck Aceh province, residents’ frustration with the central government’s delayed response has led to protests featuring white flags and red separatist banners historically linked to the Free Aceh Movement, prompting military intervention and warnings of escalating tensions.
In Lhoksukon and Lhokseumawe in North Aceh, demonstrators waved red crescent and star flags associated with the former Free Aceh Movement last Thursday to protest the Indonesian government’s refusal to declare the Sumatra floods a national disaster, which would release emergency funds, as reported by Asia News Network and The Jakarta Post.
Protests Escalate with Display of Banned Symbols
Protesters gathered in front of the North Aceh regent’s office in Lhoksukon last Thursday, waving red separatist flags alongside white flags to demand that President Prabowo Subianto classify the crisis as a national disaster for faster relief, according to Asia News Network. In Lhokseumawe, a convoy of volunteers delivering aid to flood-hit Aceh Tamiang clashed with Indonesian Military personnel while carrying the same flags on vehicles, leading to a dispersal action described by the military as persuasive and lawful, as stated in a TNI statement on X published Friday and covered by Asia News Network. The red flag was once used by the Free Aceh Movement, which waged a 30-year separatist war until the 2005 Helsinki Peace Agreement granted Aceh special autonomy and disbanded the group, The Jakarta Post reported.
As reported by Nurzahri for The Jakarta Post, “The protests happened because there was no response from the central government to Acehnese demands for national disaster status.”
Historical Context of Aceh’s Separatist Symbols and Disaster Impact
Aceh remains the hardest-hit area nearly five weeks after floods began, accounting for nearly half of Indonesia’s deaths and most evacuees, with many in shelters lacking clean water, food, electricity, and medical supplies, increasing disease risks, according to The Jakarta Post. Residents have raised white flags across flooded villages as symbols of surrender to the disaster and protest against Jakarta’s slow aid, Asia Times reported. Public policy expert Agus Pambagio told the Post that the flags serve as a warning for President Prabowo to improve the response, cautioning that neglect could deepen distrust and revive separatist sentiments, potentially sparking conflict, as covered by Asia News Network.
Government Stance on National Disaster Declaration
President Prabowo Subianto has resisted declaring the Sumatra floods a national disaster and rejected foreign aid offers, stating the situation was under control and Indonesia could manage alone, Asia News Network stated. The central government’s delay in conferring national disaster status has left fiscally strained regions to handle recovery without full support, amid criticism of a centralized response system slow to deploy heavy equipment and teams to remote Aceh areas, as detailed by Asia Times. AOL reported that white flags have fluttered for weeks in Aceh as anger grows over the sluggish flood aid delivery.
Official Responses and Potential Repercussions
The Indonesian Military (TNI) addressed the Lhokseumawe clash in a Friday statement on X, affirming that displaying separatist flags is prohibited by law and confirming troops used measured, lawful methods to prevent escalation, according to Asia News Network. Agus Pambagio warned that such incidents signal eroding trust, urging better state action to avoid fuelling separatist movements, with the president’s responsibilities already heavy, as per the Post via Asia News Network. Asia Times highlighted the government’s preoccupation with procedures over immediate aid, noting promises of 60 trillion rupiah for 2026 rehabilitation but criticising current shortfalls in medicine and supplies for remote areas.
Protests in Aceh featuring white flags and GAM-associated red banners underscore ongoing resident demands for national disaster status amid persistent aid shortages, with military dispersals and expert warnings of conflict risks reported across outlets including Asia News Network, The Jakarta Post, Asia Times, and AOL.
