Aceh leaders urge unity and peace on 21st anniversary of MoU Helsinki

National leaders and Acehnese officials are calling for unity and the rejection of provocations to maintain regional stability. During the 21st anniversary of the Aceh peace agreement, marked by the signing of the MoU Helsinki on August 15, 2005, Jusuf Kalla emphasized that recent unrest and demonstrations in Banda Aceh do not reflect the will of the majority who have benefited from two decades of peace.

Kalla noted that security forces are working to prevent escalations into open conflict. Similarly, Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf urged the community to strengthen brotherhood and preserve the peace to ensure a stable future for the next generation.

In a separate address to the Democratic Party's regional meeting, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono highlighted the party's moral responsibility to safeguard this peace. He also called on party members to oversee the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts following hydrometeorological disasters in late 2025, which caused significant damage to infrastructure, homes, and the local economy.