Despite its long and ancient history, Indonesia is young nation having gained independence in 1948 from centuries of colonialisation. Recent economic development has brought profound changes to Indonesian society.

Since the downfall of former Indonesian President Suharto, Aceh has been much more than just Indonesia’s most fundamentalist Muslim province. As the country's only province under Islamic sharia law, it has been an inspiration to the extremist movements that are attacking Christian villages on the islands of Ambon and Sulawesi. It has equally been a safe haven for the Taliban-style training of Indonesia's own insurgency.