Human rights organizations are urged to closely monitor a rapidly deteriorating security situation in Acheh following a violent assault on a civilian humanitarian convoy delivering aid to flood victims.

On the evening of today, Indonesian security forces violently attacked a civilian convoy transporting donations to deforestation flood victims in Acheh Teumieng. At least seven civilians were beaten with gun butts, rifle heels, and other heavy objects, primarily to the head, causing serious injuries. Several victims are currently hospitalized at Krueng Mane Hospital, some suffering heavy head bleeding.

The incident occurred at approximately 8:30 PM local time at Krueng Mane Bridge, where security forces—operating under the supervision of Kolonel Inf Ali Imran—forcibly stopped the convoy as it entered North Acheh. Witness accounts indicate that the convoy—traveling since early morning from Pidie—was ordered to halt, after which passengers were forced out of their vehicles. Security forces then attempted to seize humanitarian goods.

Critically, the assault took place under cover of darkness. Survivors report that security personnel appeared to exploit the holiday season, poor nighttime visibility and the exhaustion of volunteers after a long journey to conduct the raid. Multiple vehicles were reportedly seized during the operation.

This is not an isolated event. Just one week earlier, another humanitarian convoy was assaulted in Pidie Jaya, marking a troubling pattern of escalating violence and obstruction against civilian-led aid efforts in Acheh. Local civil society groups warn that the repeated targeting of humanitarian convoys is intensifying fear and severely undermining community-based disaster response at a time when formal assistance remains limited.

Human rights defenders emphasize that these attacks carry grave implications. Assaulting unarmed civilians engaged in humanitarian relief constitutes a serious violation of international human rights standards and potentially international humanitarian law, particularly when force is excessive, punitive, and aimed at suppressing civilian solidarity.

The escalation has also revived deep collective trauma. Acheh endured widespread massacres and systematic abuses prior to 2005 under heavy militarization. Community leaders warn that continued brutality—especially amid hunger, displacement, and disaster—creates conditions under which past atrocities could be repeated.

These concerns are heightened by the broader political context. Indonesia’s current president, Prabowo Subianto, has long been associated by international human rights groups with unresolved allegations of past abuses. Survivors and advocates fear that the normalization of violent security practices under this administration lowers the threshold for further repression.

Given the clear pattern of escalation, human rights organizations are urged to:

• Initiate urgent monitoring of security force conduct in Acheh.

• Seek independent access to affected areas, hospitals, and survivors.

• Issue early warning communications to relevant UN Special Procedures.

• Press Indonesian authorities to cease attacks on humanitarian actors, return seized vehicles, and guarantee safe passage for civilian aid.

• Call for accountability for those responsible for ordering and carrying out the assaults.

The situation in Acheh is volatile and worsening. Without immediate international attention and preventive engagement, the risk of further violence—and potential loss of life—will continue to rise. Human rights organizations have a narrow window to act before this escalation hardens into a broader pattern of repression.