Invited as Speaker at AFPC, Wali Nanggroe: Southeast Asia Needs More Trust, Not Domination

Wali Nanggroe Aceh talks about peace in Southeast Asia.

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The Wali Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, His Excellency Tgk. Malik Mahmud Al Haythar, emphasized that Southeast Asia needs more trust, not domination, to maintain regional peace and stability. He made this statement while speaking at the ASEAN For the Peoples Conference (AFPC) 2025 at the Sultan Hotel & Residence, Jakarta, on October 5, 2025.

AFPC is the largest consortium of civil society organizations in Southeast Asia.

Wali Nanggroe attended the event accompanied by Special Staff Dr. Muhammad Raviq. He spoke alongside several prominent figures from Southeast Asia, including Amb. Nelson Santos (Advisor to the President of Timor-Leste), Imam (PCOL) Ebra M. Moxsir (Ret.), President of the National Imams Council of the Philippines, and Debbie Stothard, founder of the human rights organization ALTSEAN Burma. The session was moderated by independent journalist from Malaysia, Amy Chew.

Wali Nanggroe stated that reconciliation is not just a political buzzword, but a life experience that has shaped Aceh and him personally. "It is both an honor and a deep responsibility for me to be present at this forum, speaking about reconciliation, a theme that has shaped my life, my homeland of Aceh, and even much of my Southeast Asian journey," said Wali Nanggroe.

The armed conflict in Aceh lasted for more than three decades between the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). However, a turning point came in 2005 with the signing of the Helsinki Peace Agreement.

"That moment, sitting face to face with my former adversaries, and signing a document that ended a long conflict, was a defining moment," said Wali Nanggroe.

That event, Wali Nanggroe added, proved that even the most intractable conflicts can be ended through dialogue, compromise, and most importantly, trust.

Furthermore, Wali Nanggroe also highlighted the so-called ASEAN Way, an approach that emphasizes deliberation, consensus, and respect for national sovereignty.

"In the Aceh peace process, international facilitators did provide a neutral space. However, the main driver of peace is our own determination and initiative as the Indonesian nation and the people of Aceh," Wali Nanggroe emphasized.

Reconciliation cannot be imposed from the outside, but must arise from local ownership, with international support that complements, not dominates.

Wali Nanggroe also touched on the various crises still looming over Southeast Asia, from the conflict in Myanmar to border disputes between countries. Wali Nanggroe reminded that lessons from Aceh show that solid peace can only be born when all parties are involved.

"If we exclude one party, we widen the gap of mistrust. If we embrace all parties, we plant the seeds of reconciliation."

Amid rising global tensions and the stalling of many world peace processes, Wali Nanggroe believes Southeast Asia offers an alternative model: a sincere approach based on human dignity, not geopolitical domination.

The world can learn from Aceh, from Mindanao, and from Timor-Leste that reconciliation is still possible, even after decades of war. The key is not military might, but rather the moral courage to transform suspicion into trust, and enemies into partners.

Concluding his speech, Wali Nanggroe emphasized that reconciliation is a long journey that requires patience and humility. The Aceh peace, which has endured for almost two decades, is living proof that trust can rebuild lives.

"The true measure of reconciliation is not signatures on paper, but rather lives revived, children growing up without fear, and the hope that Southeast Asia can offer to a world so desperately yearning for peace," Wali Nanggroe stated.

Zulfikar Idris, Head of Cooperation and Public Relations for Wali Nanggroe, stated in a statement that the conference was organized by the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI).[]

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Source: Press release from the Wali Nanggroe Public Relations Institute.

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