BANDA ACEH, 13 August 2025 – Hundreds of prominent Acehnese figures, academics, peace advocates, and diplomats from 12 countries will gather in Banda Aceh on Thursday, 14 August 2025, for the International Discussion and Commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the Helsinki MoU: “Progress and Challenges” at the Hermes Palace Hotel.
Organized by the Government of Aceh and the Aceh Reintegration Agency (BRA), the event marks two decades since the signing of the Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding on 15 August 2005, which brought an end to decades of armed conflict in Aceh.
Former Indonesian President Prof. Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will deliver opening remarks via video conference, while Minna Kukkonen Kalender from the Crisis Management Initiative (CMI) – the organization that mediated the Helsinki peace talks – will participate in person.
Addressing Unfulfilled Rights under the MoU
While celebrating peace achievements, the forum will also openly address the numerous Acehnese rights and authorities guaranteed under the MoU that remain unfulfilled, including revenue-sharing from natural resources, political powers, and the full recognition of Aceh’s special autonomy.
“This is not just a celebration – it is a moment for evaluation and concrete action to ensure that all commitments under the MoU are fully implemented,” said Jamaluddin, Head of BRA.
Two High-Level Panel Discussions
Panel I – MoU Review and the Future of Aceh
Moderator: Dr. Sofyan A. Djalil
Speakers:
Mr. Peter Feith (Former Head of the Aceh Monitoring Mission)
Ambassador of the Netherlands
European Union Ambassador to Asian Countries
Juha Christensen (Peace activist, founder of the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council)
Prof. Jacques Bertrand
Dr. Zaini Abdullah (Former Foreign Minister & GAM Negotiator; Governor of Aceh 2012–2017)
Teuku Kamaruzzaman (Former GAM Negotiator)
Rector of Syiah Kuala University
Panel II – Lessons Learned and Resolutions
Moderator: Dr. Fachry Aly
Speakers:
United States Ambassador to Indonesia
Dr. Scott Guggenheim (Development Anthropologist – Georgetown University)
Alanna L. Simpson (World Bank Representative)
Tgk Amni Bin Ahmad Marzuki (Former GAM Negotiator)
Rector of Ar-Raniry State Islamic University
Chalida Tajaroensuk (People’s Empowerment Foundation, Thailand)
Strategic Momentum for Aceh’s Future
The Government of Aceh stressed that this forum is a vital platform to ensure that the spirit of peace endures, and that all commitments made 20 years ago are realized in full for the benefit of the Acehnese people.
“We want to make sure that peace is not only the absence of conflict, but also the realization of justice, prosperity, and respect for Aceh’s rights,” said Dr. Suraiya IT, Special Staff to the Governor of Aceh.
The event is expected to produce resolutions and strategic recommendations for the central government, the Government of Aceh, and the international community to further strengthen peace and sustainable development in the region.
