Aceh conflict is old news

I just stumbled across an old article from The Age a year and a half before the tsunami at a time of renewed fighting between the Indonesian military and GAM (June 2003). Check out the great picture.

It's always interesting to try to imagine this now mostly peaceful place just five years ago. All the evidence and the stories should make it easy, but it's not. Reading a newspaper story is a bit different. I can't really articulate why though. I guess that's the beauty of a newspaper.

Can I remember reading articles like this in 2003? I have a vague recollection but not really. Perhaps if I'd known what my future held I would have paid a little more attention.

Read the article here: Aceh Media Plan in Chaos