Aceh and the City of Salem, Massachusetts, United States have a very close relationship in the past...?

In 1654 (the reign of Sultanah Safiatu'ddin), Elihu Yale sent two of his employees to Atjeh, the grandest independent empire in Sumatra, to run the pepper trade. The last pepper entered Salem, Massachusetts from Sumatra on November 6, 1846 (The reign of Sultan Sulaiman Syah), transported by the ship Lucilla. Salem has played a major role in pepper trade since Salem Leader started this business, If we look back at the symbol of Salem city, we will find an image of an Atjeh.

At the height of the pepper trade, the City Council ordered to create a seal depicting "A sailing vessel, approaching a beach depicted with a man standing among the trees where his costume indicates the region is part of the East Indies", the motto 'Divisive Indiae usque ad ultimum sinum ', Trade, business, wherever and whenever it turns out to save the intrigues that can destroy relationships built long ago. The desire to gain personal profit and trade politics has made the relationship between Aceh and the United States crack.

Aceh was once attacked by the United States due to Dutch trade and provocation. The Port of Kuala Batu in Susoh, South Aceh is flat to the ground. According to M Nur El Ibrahimy in the Glance of Diplomacy of Aceh Kingdom, every year it is transported around 42,000 pikul or about 3,000 tons. The trading center is at Kuala Batu Port, Susoh.Aceh was once attacked by the United States due to Dutch trade and provocation. The Port of Kuala Batu in Susoh, South Aceh is flat to the ground. According to M Nur El Ibrahimy in the Glance of Diplomacy of Aceh Kingdom, every year it is transported around 42,000 pikul or about 3,000 tons. The trading center is at Kuala Batu Port, Susoh.

Since 1829, the price of pepper in the international market has declined, the number of American ships coming to the port of Aceh began to decline. Among the ships that came during this period of economic downturn were the Silsbee Friendship ships, Pickman and Stone under the command of Charles Moore Endicot, a mite who often took his ship to Aceh.

When Endicot and his son were on land, the ship was suddenly hijacked by a group of Kuala Batu residents. However, it could be seized back by American ships that happened to be in Kuala waters with a loss of US $ 50,000 and three of his men killed.

The incident then raises a number of question marks. The reason, for half a century of unprecedented trade relationships such piracy. According to M Nur El Ibrahimy, there are several causes of the occurrence of such events.

First, the event was triggered by the disappointment of the Acehnese who have always been deceived by the Americans in pepper trade.

That's just one factor. Another cause, the Dutch managed to provoke the Acehnese to attack American ships. The goal, the Dutch want to damage the good name of the Kingdom of Aceh so impressed not able to protect foreign ships anchored in Aceh.

Of course the Kingdom of Aceh is busy giving clarification. Later, it was known that the Dutch paid and armed the Aceh ships that were captured by Lahuda Langkap to attack the American ships using the Aceh Kingdom flag.

This incident caused major losses on the part of the United States and several crew members were killed at the hands of pirates. This caused great anger on the part of America.

Senator Nathanian Silsbee, one of the owners of the Friendship and Whip (Republican) vessels in opposition to the administration of President Jackson, as well as a very influential politician at the time, immediately wrote to President Jackson on July 20, 1831.

At the dawn of February 6, 1832, as many as 260 Americans under the command of Shubrick, the commander of America's best warship at the time, Potomac, burned down the port of Kuala Batee, Susoh, West Aceh under the direct command of US President Andrew Jackson.

However, the relationship between the Kingdom of Aceh and the United States has been established for a long time. And the real proof of that relationship is embedded in the logo of Salem, Massachusetts. Will the history of Aceh's glory be repeated .... ???

Only god god can answer