Nearly 10 years after the signing of the peace agreement between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the government of Indonesia (GoI), which ended a 30-year conflict in Aceh, Indonesia, it remains to be known whether the existing “peace” is a fragile one. This study utilizes data from semi-structured in-depth interviews with 28 individuals ranging from local activists, academics, and politicians in Indonesia to provide insights into how deep the peace in Aceh is, especially in the absence of common transitional justice mechanisms such as criminal trials or a truth commission, which are believed to facilitate settings capable of sustainable peace. Preliminary findings suggest that although it is generally agreed that further conflict is not imminent, there are multiple issues compromising the realization of deep peace in Aceh, including: distrust in institutions/government, desires for justice and reparations, and a widening economic gap between the elite and grassroots level.
