Stories from the archipelago | The Long Road to Peace in Aceh by Murizal Hamzah

The Long Road to Peace in Aceh by Murizal Hamzah

For Hasan Tiro, founder of the Free Aceh Movement (in Indonesian Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, or GAM), Indonesia was another name for the Dutch East Indies. At 51 he led the anti-Republican movement, which sought Aceh’s independence from Indonesia.

Over time, that commitment gave rise to the desire to end the tyranny in his homeland. Hasan Tiro was distressed by the endless suffering of the Acehnese people. The leader of the Cuban independence movement, the poet and writer José Julián Martí Pérez (1853–1895) once said that everyone should feel the pain on their cheek when somebody else’s face is slapped.

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the Author

Murizal Hamzah is a writer and a journalist. After graduating from Social and Economic Agriculture at the University of Syiah Kuala Banda Aceh in 2001, he trained in investigative reporting in the US. His recent biography, Jalan Panjang Menuju Damai Aceh (2014), tells the story of the leader of the Free Aceh Movement, Hasan Tiro.

the uwrf16 anthology series

Each year, the Ubud Writers & Reader Festival accepts submissions from hundreds of emerging writers from across the archipelago. The winning entries, selected by an independent curatorial board, are compiled into a publication launched at the Festival by the contributors themselves. Our Anthology Series is just one of our initiatives to help support the vibrant future of Indonesian literature and the arts, by creating a platform celebrating Indonesian talent on a global scale.

To purchase a copy of our UWRF16 Anthology Series, containing 16 contributions from emerging writers in Indonesia, contact us via admin@ubudwritersfestival.com. Copies only IDR 50,000.