Not To Jokowi, Descendants Of The Sultan Of Aceh Send Letter To Turkish President Erdogan Asking For Help Regarding 'Emergency' Conditions

BANDA ACEH - Descendants of the Sultan of Aceh Cut Putri who is also the leader of Darud Donya sent an official letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, asking for help regarding endangered historical sites.

"The letter contains a request for assistance to the Turkish leadership to help Aceh, which is currently in a state of emergency," said Cut Putri, quoted by Antara in Banda Aceh, Wednesday, October 6.

Cut Putri said in the letter conveyed that Aceh was currently in need of Turkish assistance to help save the treasures and heritage of Southeast Asian Islam in Aceh which was critical and threatened to be destroyed.

Cut Putri conveyed that the historical sites of the ancient tombs of the kings and scholars of the Aceh Darussalam Sultanate, including the tombs of the scholars and officers of the Ottoman Turks who were sent by the Ottoman Sultan to help the Aceh Sultanate.

The most threatened site, said Cut Putri, is the historical heritage of the Turkish civilization in the historical site of the Darul Makmur palace in Kuta Farushah Pindi Gampong Pande Banda Aceh, which is threatened with extinction with the construction of the Banda Aceh IPAL project.

"The historical area contains thousands of tombs of kings and scholars of the Aceh Darussalam Sultanate and relics of ancient buildings," he said.

Cut Putri said that for years the IPAL project had been protested by the people of Aceh, all peace efforts had been made by all Acehnese people to awaken leaders who wanted to destroy the Islamic cultural heritage in Aceh.

"The kings and clerics of the Aceh sultanate are the aulia, the founders of the history of the establishment of Islamic da'wah in Southeast Asia, who have chosen the land of Aceh as a place for their bones to reside," said Cut Putri.

Therefore, Cut Putri continued, her party stated that Aceh was in a state of emergency and urgently needed the assistance of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as support from all Turkish people.

Cut Putri said that previously they had discussed this directly with the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey during a state visit with the Turkish Ambassador.

"We really hope that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and all the Turkish people can help us here who are struggling," he said.

Cut Putri also explained that diplomatic relations between the Sultanate of Aceh and Turkey had existed for hundreds of years. The Sultanate of Aceh and Turkey often helped each other in the da'wah of Islam and to fight colonialism.

"History also records the close correspondence between the two countries, including requests for assistance from the Sultans of Aceh to Turkey, when Aceh was in a state of emergency," said Cut Putri.

As is known, the Banda Aceh Government resumed the construction of the IPAL project in Gampong Pande, the local city at the end of February 2021. The building was stopped because many historical sites were found, such as the graves of Aceh kings and ulama in 2017.

Then, the continuation of the development drew criticism and rejection from various Acehnese people, especially local residents, culturalists to the descendants of the King of Aceh.