Aceh, What's With You

Aceh is a province located on the western tip of the island of Sumatra, and Aceh's position is very strategic, which is bordered by the Malacca Strait, which was once the center of international trade.

Historically, Aceh was a sovereign kingdom, with the name of the kingdom of Aceh Darussalam, when its glory was under the leadership of Raja Iskandar Muda, and Aceh was also a kingdom that implemented Islamic law, so that customs and religion were held by people who understood their fields, namely by the slogan "Adat like Poe Meuruhom, law like Syiah Kuala".

In addition to Aceh's strategic location, Aceh also has extraordinary natural wealth, vast forests, oil, gas, gold, agriculture, marine and other natural resources that cannot be managed, even the land is very well-fed, if a stick can grow , then a stick that is planted on the ground can grow, so likened to the fertility of the land of Aceh. Not only that, Aceh is also one of the provinces that received the title of special autonomy.

From various extraordinary income of Aceh, APBN, special autonomy funds, social assistance, etc., it can be said that Aceh is a granary of money, if likened, let alone workers who work, unemployment can get a salary.

Why Poverty Is So Sacred In Aceh

Seeing the phenomenon and reality of Aceh's income which is so large compared to a population of only five million people, then this is truly a very sad phenomenon, a former sovereign kingdom that was very sovereign and its people were very prosperous, now as if neglected, the social nature that used to be so high, now breathe breath. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer.

Not only that, but the market life also seems so wild, no one controls it, food prices are arbitrary and the purchase price of community harvests is so low, but this is very sad when approaching meugang, meat prices in Aceh vary and get the second most expensive ranking in the Indonesia after Papua, which is 160,000 per kilogram, even though the quality of meat in Aceh is not the best.

"The situation has prompted several traders to slaughter buffalo cattle which had been postponed. The price of released meat surged to Rp 160,000 per kilogram. The price level is higher than the price of meat on the day of Eid al-Fitr 1434 Hijri then Rp 150,000 per kilogram ", (Serambi Indonesia, October 3, 2014).

"Not only buffalo meat and cows are bounced, cut chicken meat is sold for an average of Rp. 65,000 / medium size, native chicken ranges from Rp. 70,000 to 110,000 per head. Wet tuna types are sold between Rp. 30,000 to Rp. 60,000 per fish ”, (Serambi Indonesia, October 3, 2014).

With market conditions like this, it really does not benefit people who have many children who have middle to lower economic income. Because they are not able to meet the needs of meugang for his family.

From the reality that we see, we sometimes think that poverty is a legacy that we need to guard and maintain, so that poverty appears as if it is so sacred that it is not easy or impossible to let go of in the culture of modern Acehnese society.

What is the Future of the People of Aceh?

From the APBA, which has 12 trillion annually, the special autonomy fund is 3.5 to 9 trillion annually, and the social assistance is quite large, but there are still Acehnese people who are below the poverty line.

The special autonomy fund is only for a period of 20 years, from 2008 to 2027, and this is also in two different phases with the bonus amount.

"The special autonomy fund was chosen in two phases; the first phase of 2008-2022 (15 years) was 2 percent of the National General Allocation Fund (DAU). The second phase of 2023-2227 was reduced to 1 percent of the National DAU. The reduction of Aceh's revenue in the last 5 years is assumed that at that time Aceh's development conditions have begun to improve, and have been able to catch up with other regions in Indonesia ", (Jamaluddin M. Jamil, Serambi Indonesia).

With so much money going to Aceh today but there are still Acehnese who are destitute and below the poverty line, even unemployment is currently reaching 147 thousand people or around 6.75 percent.

"The Open Unemployment Rate (TPT) in Aceh in February 2014 reached 6.75 percent, 3.37 percent lower than the August 2013 TPT which reached 10.12 percent, and 1.47 percent lower than the February 2013 TPT which reached 8.22 percent ". "According to BPS analysis, it is greatly influenced by the influence of the season, where in February the activity of the agricultural sector is much greater than in August in each year". "In the period February 2013 to February 2014 an increase in the number of the workforce

and the number of working people is also offset by a decrease in the number of residents who work

unemployed. Based on these three time periods, unemployment in February 2014 was the lowest unemployment with an unemployed population of 147 thousand people and TPT of 6.75 percent ”, (Nazar, Ajnn. Net, 06 Mai 2014).

"The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reports that the number of unemployed residents in Aceh Province in February 2014 was 147,000. This figure has decreased by around 60,000 people compared to August 2013 which was 207,000 people, and about 30,000 people smaller than February 2013 which reached 177,000 people ”, (Analysis, May 6, 2014).

By comparing the poverty rate and unemployment rate in Aceh which is actually Aceh is a granary of money, it becomes a big question about how the fate of the people of Aceh in the future after the special autonomy fund ends? And this is our common question and we need to answer together, so that all the people of Aceh are able to interpret this peace as full grace.