Page 152 - Demo

Islam, Democracy and Human Rights in Contemporary Indonesia135Yet, similar to the commemoration of the 70th year of ourindependence, such dreams have not been achieved. Near the end of the 20th century, in 1998, Indonesia wasdevastated by multidimensional crises socially, economically,and politically, which then forced this country to transform itselffrom a centralized to a decentralized system, from anauthoritarian regime to democracy. Many international scholars predicted doom, gloom, and adisintegrated Indonesia like the former Soviet Union andYugoslavia.These predictions were based on hyperinflation in 1998. ButIndonesia bounced back and held a peaceful election in 2004.The World Bank noted: %u201cNo country in recent history, let aloneone the size of Indonesia, has ever suffered such a dramaticreversal of fortune%u201d. In 2014, the WB reported Indonesia as the world%u2019s ninthlargest economy.Aceh%u2019s peace momentum could not have been achieved ifIndonesia were still in the old era. Aceh and its decade of peaceis indeed the product of a new democratic Indonesia. With all its difficulties today, Aceh%u2019s local administration andthe central government should work together for the people%u2019ssecurity, justice, and prosperity.Similarly, within ASEAN, in its 48th year, the Helsinki MoUfor Aceh should be an asset, a living model for lessons learnedand possible replication for other parts of ASEAN. Recenttensions include those that have forced thousands of theRohingya minority to flee Myanmar for neighboring countries. Latest figures from the International Organization ofMigration revealed last March that more than 25,000 Rohingya