Abstract:
The success of Aceh peace process has thus far been attributed to Tsunami disaster in the Northern Sumatera Island in 2004. It also emphasizes on the stalemate between Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, GAM) in their attempt to settle the dispute. Moreover, most of the literatures focus solely on the peace process. The purpose of this study is to examine additional, but equally important factors that have crucial impact on the conflict management in Aceh, namely, the democratization process and the linkage between democracy and foreign policy under Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). This research highlights that internal democracy as well as its impact on the conduct of Indonesian Foreign Policy under SBY have not only made a significant progress on peace process in Aceh, but also enhanced Indonesian role in international arena.