Introducing Aceh

Aceh (ä`chā), special region (1980 pop. 2,875,634), 21,387 sq mi (55,392 sq km), N Sumatra, Indonesia, formerly known as Atjeh or Achin. The capital and largest city is Banda Aceh. The northernmost province of Sumatra, Aceh has rich petroleum and natural gas deposits as well as valuable rubber, oil palm, and timber resources. The Acehnese, like most Indonesians, are Muslim, but are generally more conservative. Gunung Leuser National Park is in SE Aceh.

A kingdom in N Sumatra is recorded by the 6th-cent. A.D. Chinese. By the 8th cent. Islam had arrived, and a number of Muslim kingdoms and sultanates were subsequently established in the region. Aceh (Achin) reached the height of its power in the early 17th cent. The Dutch gained control of the coast in 1873 and engaged in a partly successful effort to subdue the interior until c.1910.

Aceh also resisted Indonesian control and in 1959 was designated a special region with autonomy in religion, culture, and education. Late in 1976 the Movement for a Free Aceh declared the province independent but was suppressed; guerrilla warfare resumed in the late 1980s and continued through the rest of the century. A peace agreement providing for greater Acehnese autonomy was signed in 2002, but with neither side willing to compromise, Indonesia ended the subsequent talks in 2003, imposed martial law (reduced to a state of emergency in 2004 and ended in 2005), and launched new attacks against the rebels.

Many coastal areas in Aceh were devastated by an intense offshore earthquake and resulting tsunami in Dec., 2004; some 166,000 died in the province. In the aftermath, the rebels and government held a series of talks aimed at ending the fighting. A new peace accord, calling for the rebels to disarm, government forces to be reduced, and for local self-government to be established in Aceh, was signed in Aug., 2005. Some 15,000 people are believed to died as a result of the conflict. An autonomy law for Aceh was passed by the Indonesian parliament in 2006, but some Acehnese criticized it for provisions that left the central government with more powers in Aceh than had been envisioned by the peace agreement.

Aceh 1496-1908

Also referred to as Atjeh, Achin. An Islamic sultanate located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra, at times controlling land on both sides of the Malacca Straits. Its strategic location gave it political importance.

In 1816/1824 the Dutch and British agreed on delimitation of their mutual spheres of influence in the Malay Archipelago; Aceh was allocated to neither of them. In the SUMATRA TREATISE of 1871, Britain conceded Aceh to the Netherlands, in return for Dutch concessions regarding Sarawak/North Borneo and on the Gold Coast.
In 1832 (Quallah Battoo) and in 1838/1839 US troops landed in Aceh (Quallah Battoo, Muckie) to protect US interests.
The Sultan of Aceh sensed the imminent danger and sent a delegation to Singapore, where they contected the consuls of Italy and the USA (for a possible protectorate, 1873). The Dutch regarded this as the "Treason of Singapore" and declared war. The first Dutch attempt to conquer Aceh failed in 1873; in 1874 the Kraton (capital, called Koetaradja by the Dutch) was occupied and the Sultanate formally annexed. The Dutch controlled only the area around Koetaradja; most of the territory remained unoccupied, and the Acehnese continued to resist, regarding the struggle against the Dutch as a JIHAD.
The Dutch strategy of occupying the political center had failed; the resistance continued (2nd Acehnese War 1874-1880, 3rd Acehnese War 1884-1886, 4th Acehnese War since 1888).
In 1882, the population of Aceh was calculated as 479,419 (Meyers). Advised by scholar SNOUCK HURGRONJE, the Dutch army, under Lt. VAN HEUTSZ, adopted a new strategy of brutal repression. In 1903 the Acehnese Sultan POLIM surrendered; only in 1908 were the Dutch able to establish control over the area; guerilla resistance continued. The wars leading to the conquest and pacification of Aceh (1873-1908) have cost an estimated 10,000 Dutch and 100,000 Acehnese fatalities.

Leuser Nasional Park

General

Gunung Leuser National Park is one of the biggest national parks in Indonesia (950,000 hectare). Actually, it's a collection of various nature reserves and forests: Nature Reserve Gunung Leuser, Nature Reserve Kappi, Nature Reserve Kluet, Sikundur Langkat Wildlife Reserve, Ketambe Research Station, Singkil Barat and Dolok Sembilin.

Most parts of the national park lie in the region Aceh Tenggara (SE Aceh). Other parts are situated in the region east Aceh, south Aceh, and Langkat (a part of North Sumatra).

The Gunung Leuser National Park comprises more than 100 kilometres of the Bukit Barisan Mountains. Because of that, the park consists of steep, almost inaccessible mountainous terrain.The altitude ranges from 0 metre, in Kluet (South Aceh), to 3,381 metre, on top of the Gunung Leuser (Southeast Aceh). The Alas river cuts the park into an eastern and western half.

Apart from mountains you find several other ecosystems: beach forest, swamp areas, lowland rainforest, alpine and mountain forest.

In Bohorok-Bukit Lawang is the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Station and in Ketambe stands the Ketambe research station. The research station is not open to tourists.

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Access

The park is most easily attainable from Medan. From Medan, buses go to Kutacane and Bohorok-Bukit Lawang.

The 233 km ride from Medan to Kutacane goes through Brastagi and Kabanjahe and takes 5-6 hours. There also regular and faster minibus services between Medan and Kutacane. You find the minibuses at the Pinang Baris bus terminal in Medan.

From Kutacane (mini)buses serve the Lawe Gurah Tourist Park, about 43 km from Kutacane. From there you can enter the Gunung Leuser National Park. Kutacane is not a nice place to stay. The best you can do is travelling to Ketambe.

The other way to get to the Gunung Leuser National Park is to take a bus to the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre in Bohorok-Bukit Lawang. These buses leave from Pinang Baris bus terminal in Medan several times a day and will take you to Bukit Lawang in 3 hours.

You can also make the trip by taking a bus to Binjai, 22 km from Medan, and from there a bus to Bukit Lawang. These buses leave more frequently from the same bus terminal in Medan.

From the south you can reach Bohorok-Bukit Lawang with a bus from Brastagi.

In Bukit-Lawang you can enter the park through the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre.

For a visit to the Gunung Leuser National Park you need a PHPA permit. You get a permit from the PHPA offices in Medan, Tanah Merah (2 km north of Kutacane) and Bukit Lawang. You need two copies of your passport or 2 passport photo's and a copy of your visum stamp. Permits are also available from Wisma Rindu Alam in Kutacane and Pondok Wisata or Wisma Gurah (PHPA) in Ketambe.

Three other possibilities to access the Gunung Leuser National Park do exist but are rarely used. One is in Kadang on the west coast, the second is Sekundur, 100 km east of Medan and the third is Takengon in Aceh.

Accomodation

Kutacane Wisma Rindu Alam Ketambe Pondok Wisata Ketambe Wisma Sadar Wisata Wisma Cinta Alam Lawe Gurah Wisma Gurah (PHPA) Gurah Bungalow (PHPA) Bohorok-Bukit Lawang Wisma Bukit Lawang Cottages Wisma Leuser Sibayak PHPA Guesthouse several losmen.

Trekking

You find guides in almost any losmen and at the PHPA offices. Organized trekkings will cost you about 50,000 Rp pro person, a day. This will include food, permits and camping gear.

Kutacane climbing Gunung Leuser 14 days retour climbing Gunung Kemiri 6 days retour climbing Gunung Bendahara 6 days retour climbing Gunung Simpali 7 days retour Kutacane-Bukit Lawang 6 days hot springs Gurah area 7 hours retour Bukit Lawang Bukit Lawang-Brastagi 3 days Bukit Lawang-Brastagi 5 days (an other route)

Flora

Because of the great differences in altitude and the diversity in soil, the Gunung Leuser National Park has an enormous wealth of plant species. About 8,500 different species grow in the beach, swamp, lowland, mountain and alpine woods of the park.

In the beach and swamp forest you find Casuarina trees (Casuarina sp.), Wild Nutmeq (Myristica sp.), Campfor or Kapur baros (Drybalancops aromatica), Nibung palms, Rotan (Calamus sp.), Mangrove trees or Api-api (Avicennia sp.) and Pandan (Pandanus sp.). Along the rivers grows Pometia pinnata.

In the lowland forest, trees like Meranti (Shorea sp.), Keruing (Dipterocarpus sp.), Camfor and Damar (Hopea sp.) and several wild fruit trees like Durian (Durio zibethinus), Mango or Mangga (Mangifera indica), Wild Banana, citrus fruit and wild jack fruit grow in abundance.

In the mountain and and alpine woods, several species of moss and wild flowers: Gentians, Primula's, Strawberry, herbs, and wild orchids are found. The Rafflesia Arnoldi or Bunga padma (Rafflesia sp.) grows here also.

Fauna

About 700 different species of animals (320 birds, 176 mammals and 194 reptiles and amphibians) live in the Gunung Leuser National Park.

In Ket lies lake Banko, the last place in North Sumatra where the Swamp Crocodile lives.

Mammals

Sumatran Rhinoceros or Badak Sumatera (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), Sumatran Elephant or Gajah (Elephas maximus sumatrana), Otters or Berang berang (Lutra sp.), Wild Boar, Red Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista petaurista), Malayan Sunbear or Beruang madu (Helarctos malayanus), Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus), Hog Badger (Arctonyx collaris), Lesser Mousedeer or Kancil (Tragulus javanicus), Large Mousedeer or Napu (Tragulus napu), Barking Deer or Muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak), Sambar Deer (Cervus unicolor), Sumatran Tiger or Harimau (Panthera tigris sumatrae), Clouded Leopard or Harimau dahan (Neofelis nebulosa), Flat- headed Cat (Prionailurus planiceps), Temminck's Golden Cat (Catopuma temminckii), Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), Flying Lemur or Tando (Cynocephalus variegatus), Orang Utan (Pongo pygmaeus abelii), Thomas's Leaf Monkey or Kedih (Presbytis thomasi), Banded Leaf Monkey or Simpei (Presbytis femoralis), Silvered Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus cristatus), Long-tailed Macaque or Kera (Macaca fascicularis), Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca nemestrina), White-handed Gibbon or Sarudung (Hylobates lar), Siamang (Hylobates syndactylus), Sumatran Serow (Capricornis sumatraensis).

Reptiles

Swamp Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), Flying Frog or Kodok (Rhacaphorus pardalis), Flying Snake (Crysopelea), Common Flying Lizard (Draco volans), Hawksbill Turtle or Penyu sisik (Eretmochelys imbricata), Leatherback Turtle or Penyu belimbing (Dermochelys coriacea), Water Monitor (Varanus salvator).

Birds

Argus Pheasant (Argusianus argus), Asian Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris), Rhinoceros Hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros), White-bellied Sea-eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot (Loriculus galgulus), Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

Aceh History

Aceh, at the northwestern end of Sumatra, came into contact with the outside world as early as the sixth century AD. Chinese chronicles of that time speak of a kingdom on the northern tip of Sumatra named Po-Li. Several Arabic writings of the early ninth century, and later inscriptions found in India mention the area. In 1292, Marco Polo, on his voyage from China to Persia visited Sumatra and reported that on the northern part of Sumatra there were as many as six trading ports including Ferlec, Samudera and Lambri. It is ironic that this area is presently one of the least known of Indonesia.

Islam is reported to have reached Aceh between the seventh and eighth centuries AD and the first Islamic kingdom, Perlak was established in 804 AD. Then followed Samudera Pasai in 1042, Tamiah in 1184, Aceh in 1205 and Darussalam in 1511. In this year the Portuguese captured Malacca and many Asian and Arabic traders sought to avoid the Malacca Strait and called instead on Aceh's port, bringing wealth and prosperity. Aceh's dominance in trade and politics in northern parts of Sumatra began, reaching a climax between 1610 and 1640.

With the death of Sultan Iskandar Thani in 1641, Aceh's decline began. The British and Dutch both started to vie for influence. In 1824 the London Treaty was signed, giving the Dutch control over all British possessions in Sumatra in return for a Dutch surrender of their establishments in India and an abrogation of all claims on Singapore. The Dutch fought a long drawn out struggle in their attempt to subdue the Acehnese. The Aceh War, which lasted intermittently from 1873 to 1942, was the longest ever fought by Holland and cost the Dutch more than 10,000 lives. This struggle has stamped a deep imprint on the Acehnese outlook and mentality.
The era of industrialization arrived, and with it has come a more open attitude towards things alien. Visitors should keep in mind, though, that the Acehnese take their religion, their manners and their morals seriously.