THE troops returned cheering and shouting with joy. The expedition to Pidie had been completed with colors flying. The Acehnese had been crushed. "A final victory!" announced General Van Heutsz with pride to describe what his troops had achieved in the Aceh War in 1898.

But history proved it was not to be the final victory Van Heutz claimed it was. For years after sporadic clashes continued all over Tanah Rencong—Land of th