Religion and local culture
Pillars of social harmony in post-conflict Aceh
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21831/jc.v22i2.87874Keywords:
social harmony, religion and local culture, post-conflictAbstract
The prolonged conflict between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Government of the Republic of Indonesia has resulted in social disruption, collective trauma, and the weakening of community social structures. Although a peace agreement was reached through the 2005 Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding, the greatest post-conflict challenge lies in rebuilding trust, solidarity, and social harmony. An interesting phenomenon is the success of Acehnese society in achieving social stability through internal strengths, particularly a strong Islamic religious approach and deeply rooted local culture. This article aims to analyze the contribution of religious and local cultural approaches in fostering post-conflict social harmony in Aceh. This study is qualitative in nature, using a descriptive-interpretative approach. Data collection techniques included in-depth interviews, document analysis, and surveys. Key informants consisted of religious leaders (ulama), traditional leaders, former GAM combatants, women leaders, youth, and village officials located in former conflict-affected regions such as Pidie, North Aceh, and Bireuen. Data analysis employed a thematic approach through data reduction, categorization, interpretation of findings, and inductive conclusion drawing. The findings show that religious approaches, through the active roles of ulama, religious gatherings (majelis taklim), and Islamic boarding schools (pesantren), have been effective in restoring faith-based values and community social ethics. Meanwhile, local cultural elements such as peusijuek (traditional blessing rituals), gampong deliberations, and customary village institutions have served as effective means of social reconciliation, strengthening community ties and resolving horizontal conflicts. The synergy between religious values and local wisdom has formed a strong social system for maintaining peace and preventing future conflicts. In conclusion, religious and local cultural approaches have proven to be fundamental pillars in creating sustainable social harmony in post-conflict Aceh. This model can serve as a strategic reference for other conflict-affected regions seeking to build peace through local potential.
References
Adila, A., & Alexandra, S. (2025). Implementation of customary law in land dispute resolution in indigenous law communities. Hakim: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum dan Sosial, 3(1), 993-1012. https://doi.org/10.51903/hakim.v3i1.2296
Adlina, N. (2025). Efektivitas penyelesaian perkara perdata di lembaga adat Tuha Peut ditinjau menurut Qanun Aceh No 9 Tahun 2008 tentang Pembinaan Kehidupan Adat dan Istiadat (Studi di Kecamatan Mutiara Kabupaten Pidie (Doctoral dissertation, UIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh).
Ar, E. H. (2013). Integrasi sosial dalam masyarakat multi etnik. Walisongo: Jurnal Penelitian Sosial Keagamaan, 21(1), 191-218. https://doi.org/10.21580/ws.21.1.242
ASEAN-IPR (2022). The Aceh case: Peacebuilding and post-tsunami recovery. ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation. https://asean-aipr.org/activities/research-projects/the-aceh-case-peacebuilding-post-tsunami-recovery-66e00a795128f
Badan Pusat Statistik Aceh. (2023). Laporan kohesi sosial pasca-konflik Aceh 2012-2022. Banda Aceh: BPS Aceh.
Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Effendi, D. I. (2019). Konstruksi identitas keagamaan gerakan islam transnasional: Studi fenomenologi terhadap gerakan Jama’ah Tabligh (Doctoral dissertation, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung).
Effendy, R. G. (2023). Analisis otonomi khusus Papua dalam perspektif orang asli Papua. Binamulia Hukum, 12(2), 309-322 https://doi.org/10.37893/jbh.v12i2.436
Eko, S., & Tjoetra, A. (2012). Pelajaran dan sumbangan organisasi masyarakat sipil melalui TERAPAN. Aceh Development Fund.
Feener, R. M. (2021). Engineering transformations in the ‘religion-development nexus’: Islamic law, reform, and reconstruction in Aceh. Religion, 51(1), 40–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/0048721X.2020.1792051
Field, A. (2013). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Fithriyyah, M. U. (2018). Internalisasi nilai-nilai aswaja dalam pendidikan Islam sebagai upaya deradikalisasi menuju good citizen. In Seminar Nasional Islam Moderat (pp. 110-124). Universitas KH. A. Wahab Hasbullah (UNWAHA).
Flick, U. (2018). An introduction to qualitative research (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Goodhart, M. E. (2018). Injustice: Political theory for the real world. Oxford University Press.
Haryono, P., Judijanto, L., Panggalo, I. S., Wati, C. N., & Mawara, R. E. (2025). Isu-isu kontemporer dalam pendidikan: peran, peluang, dan tantangan dunia pendidikan modern. PT. Sonpedia Publishing Indonesia.
Inbadas, H. (2016). History, culture and traditions: The silent spaces in the study of spirituality at the end of life. Religions, 7(5), 53. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel7050053
Indainanto, Y. I., Dalimunthe, M. A., Sazali, H., Rubino, & Kholil, S. (2023). Islamic communication in voicing religious moderation as an effort to prevent conflicts of differences in beliefs. Pharos Journal of Theology, 104(4). https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.104.415
Irwan, I., Kamarudin, K., & Mansur, M. (2022). Membangun kebhinekaan antar remaja dalam perspektif pendidikan multikulturalisme. Jurnal Basicedu, 6(2), 2301-2311. https://doi.org/10.31004/basicedu.v6i2.2173
Islami, A. I. (2025). Tinjauan pluralisme hukum dan interlegalitas terhadap hukum perceraian di masyarakat Dayak (Doctoral dissertation, Universitas Islam Indonesia).
Kasim, F. M., & Nurdin, A. (2016). Resolusi konflik berbasis kearifan lokal di Aceh: Studi tentang eksistensi dan peran lembaga adat dalam membangun perdamaian di Kota Lhokseumawe. Ilmu Ushuluddin, 3(1), 101-118. https://doi.org/10.15408/jiu.v3i1.4855
Mardhiah, A. (2021). Pendidikan damai di daerah rawan konflik. Bambu Kuning Utama.
Nurdin, A., & Kasim, F. M. (2017). Resolusi konflik berbasis adat di Aceh: Studi tentang azas dan dampaknya dalam membangun perdamaian di Lhokseumawe. ARICIS PROCEEDINGS, 1.
Parawansa, K. I. (2023). Memimpin melayani: Pandangan sosial politik. Nuansa Cendekia.
Patton, M. Q. (2015). qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Prayitno, G., & Subagiyo, A. (2018). Membangun desa: Merencanakan desa dengan pendekatan partisipatif dan berkelanjutan. Universitas Brawijaya Press.
Rahman, A., Wasino, W., Riyani, M., Sahudra, T. M., & Akob, B. (2023). Inheritance of the value of peace in post-conflict areas based on indigenous knowledge. AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Pendidikan, 15(4), 6402-6415. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v15i4.4260
Rettberg, A., & Ugarriza, J. E. (2016). Reconciliation: A comprehensive framework for empirical analysis. Security dialogue, 47(6), 517-540. https://doi.org/10.1177/0967010616671858
Ridha, F. (2023). Eksistensi MPPT dan implikasinya terhadap praktek keagamaan masyarakat Kota Banda Aceh (Doctoral dissertation, Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry).
Ridho, A., & Kurniawati, A. (2024). Mengintegrasikan dakwah dan pemberdayaan masyarakat: membangun generasi Islami yang mandiri. AKSIOLOGI: Journal of Community Development, 1(1), 19-25. https://doi.org/10.63199/aksiologi.v1i1.16
Sahlan, M., Fajarni, S., Ikramatoun, S., Kamil, A. I., & Ilham, I. (2019). The roles of ulama in the process of post-conflict reconciliation in Aceh. Society, 7(2), 251-267. https://doi.org/10.33019/society.v7i2.106
Sugiono, M., & Nazala, R. M. (2016). Peacbuilding dan resolusi konflik dalam prespektif PBB. Academia accelarating the world reasearch, 5(No, 5).
Wibowo, D. (2020). The role of school culture in teacher professional development for peace education: The case of three schools in post-conflict Aceh, Indonesia (Doctoral dissertation, University of Otago).
Zikri, I. (2017). Social transformation and the change of community capacity of post-tsunami Aceh, Indonesia. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 25(3), 1297-1318. https://myjurnal.mohe.gov.my/public/article-view.php?id=108425
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Jurnal Civics: Media Kajian Kewarganegaraan

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The authors agree to transfer the transfer copyright of the article to The Jurnal Civics: Media Kajian Kewarganegaraan effective if and when the paper is accepted for publication.
Authors and other parties are bound to the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License for the published articles, legal formal aspect of journal publication accessibility refers to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA).