Democratization in Indonesia was accompanied by an unprecedented surge in Aceh’s civil war. Yet, by 2006 Acehnese had obtained broad-based autonomy, secured through the Law on Governing Aceh (LoGA, 2006) that reflected a peace agreement between the Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, GAM) and the Indonesian state. The LoGA was the most detailed and elaborate piece of legislation for autonomous governance in Southeast Asia.

The democratic transition, combined with the state’s strategic missteps, created conditions for an escalation of violence. Initial attempts to appease Acehnese through state-led recognition of Islamic law and promises of local investment were poor concessions relative to demands for a referendum on independence. The sequence of poor state concessions, repression in response to heightened civilian mobilization, and uncertainty from the democratic transition rapidly closed the window of opportunity for a peaceful settlement. Combined with GAM’s mobilizational capacity to launch a new insurgency, these factors set the stage for the rapid escalation of violence.