Population: 4.2 million, 2 per cent of Indonesia's total population of 210 million
Capital: Banda Aceh, 1700km northwest of Jakarta
Economy: Mining, fossil fuels, timber, coffee, rubber
Indonesian forces in Aceh province:
General Endriartono Suharto
34,175 soldiers, including 6350 on naval vessels
Around 12,500 police
23 naval vessels
OV-10 Bronco attack planes
Tanks
Amphibious vehicles and bigger artillery pieces
Most troops
carry automatic weapons such as M-16s
Aceh rebels:
Mahmood Malik, GAM leader
Around 5000 fighters using automatic weapons such as M-16s and AK-47s, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades
History:
700: Islam enters Indonesian archipelago through Aceh
804: First Islamic kingdom established in what is now Aceh
1641: Death of Sultan Iskandar Thani signals decline of Aceh and start of Dutch and British efforts to dominate region
1824: London Treaty. British grant Dutch control of Sumatra in exchange for surrendering
1873: Dutch invade Aceh. Achenese resistance sparks Aceh War which lasts until 1942.
1942: Japan invades Dutch East Indies (Indonesia). Dutch surrender
1949: UN-brokered Round Table Conference. Transfer of territory from Dutch East Indies to fully independent Indonesia. Aceh is included in the agreements dispite not being formally part of the Dutch East Indies
1959: Indonesia gives Aceh "special territory" status, conferring a high degree of religious, educational and cultural autonomy
1976: Free Aceh Movement (GAM) armed resistance group founded, to fight for an independent Islamic state
2002 Dec 9: Peace agreement signed between the GAM and Indonesia.
2003 May 19: Peace agreement breaks down. Indonesia invades Aceh.
Websites:
Centre for Defence Information (US) - Aceh page
US Pacific Command - Virtual Information Centre:
Aceh Primer (includes link to 70-page Word file)
Free Aceh Movement in Europe (FAME)
Tapol Indonesian Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Watch - Aceh page
