Aceh’s new governor sworn in
This month Aceh swore in its new governor, former rebel Irwandi Yusuf. Yusuf’s meteoric rise to power reflects the changes that have occurred in the troubled province since the 2004 Tsunami swept through the province, killing 10s of thousands of people. The 46-year-old, who was jailed for being a military strategist for the rebel Free Aceh Movement, was elected in a landslide victory last December. The election was a result of the 2005 peace agreement that ended 30 years of conflict that was fought over control of natural resources, human rights and ethnic identity. The Indonesian government has agreed in the treaty to give Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra Island, considerable autonomy. But now Yusuf faces an uphill battle against corruption. Associate Professor Damien Kingsbury from Deakin University spoke about Yusuf’s dramatic change in fortunes.