December 27, 2025 | 09:22 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Activists in Indonesia’s Aceh province have alleged that security forces assaulted members of a humanitarian convoy in North Aceh on Thursday night, December 25, 2025, as they called on the central government to declare a national disaster status for the region.
Teuku Akbar, a representative of the group, said the violence occurred during a late-night security sweep.
“They were stopped and then beaten in the middle of the night,” Akbar told Tempo on Friday, December 26, 2025.
According to Akbar, the convoy, which included participants from Pidie Jaya, was traveling through the Krung Mane and Simpang Kandang areas en route to Aceh Tamiang.
The group was delivering humanitarian aid and volunteers while also voicing demands for the government to elevate Aceh’s disaster status.
Akbar said the convoy carried white flags as well as the crescent-and-star flag associated with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Following this, security forces launched a sweep that began during the day and continued until midnight.
“The activists were beaten with M16 rifles,” Akbar said, adding that the assault was triggered by the display of the crescent-and-star flag, which he described as an expression of public frustration with the state.
He said several participants were injured in the incident, although he could not confirm the exact number of victims.
The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) confirmed that an operation took place. Major General Freddy Ardianzah, head of the TNI Information Center, said security personnel intervened to disperse the convoy because it was carrying symbols linked to GAM, which authorities consider sensitive due to their potential to provoke public unrest.
Freddy said the sweep was conducted from December 25 into the early hours of December 26. He also expressed concern over videos circulating on social media that depict the incident.
“The military regrets the spread of videos and content containing false narratives that discredit the institution,” Freddy said, adding that the information circulating online does not reflect conditions on the ground and could mislead the public.
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