This document, authored by KontraS Aceh, PASKA Aceh, and AJAR, addresses the government-led construction of the Rumoh Geudong memorial. The construction stems from the 2022 Nonjudicial Resolution of Past Serious Human Rights Violation (PPHAM) team’s reports and President Joko Widodo’s 2023 commitment to address human rights violations that occurred in Rumoh Geudong, Pidie, Aceh, Indonesia. The document underscores the importance of victim participation, incorporating crucial inputfrom those affected by the atrocities, ensuring their voices are central to the memorialisation process.
Victims have been involved in the memorialisation of Rumoh Geudong since 2018, playing an instrumental role in the development of a previous victim-centered monument – different with what the government is developing now. This collaborative process, which included local government officials, Komnas HAM, and the Aceh TRC, resulted in a monument that genuinely reflects the needs and hopes of the victims.
The document is structured into three sections:
- Process, detailing principles and requests put forth by the victims;
- Results, outlining the expected forms and functions of the memorial; and
- Sustainability, focusing on the ongoing efforts by civil society and victims to maintain and nurture the memorial as a community and victim-centered space.
Memorialisation serves as a form of symbolic reparation for victims as it aims to preserve the collective memory of past violence to prevent its recurrence. It integrates educational elements, fostering cross-cultural and generational understanding, and utilises art as a means of innovative and popular education. The memorial not only allows victims to narrate their experiences but also encourages the public to reflect on the history, promoting a more peaceful future.