Number of villagers in Aceh Jaya were pushed and hemmed in the conflict between Indonesian military and the GAM guerillas. They had to survive as if living in between two giant elephants fighting.
IN THE NIGHT of August 23, 2008, Hasannuddin (40) and his wife, Marlina, were sleepless. Around 10 o’clock that evening, a male elephant entered their cocoa and banana farmland behind their house. The giant animal broke down the barbwire-fence around the farmland, and devoured some banana stalks. Banana crop is one of its favorite foods. Hasanuddin went to his neighbors seeking for help to chase the wild elephant away from his farmland.
“Go away, please… Go away…,” Hasanuddin and his colleagues implored. Villagers knew that the wild giant animal has sensitive behavior. To chase the elephant away, they did not use any harmful techniques. Otherwise, it will attack back savagely.
“Please, don’t harm our farm …” begged Hasanuddin while waving his hands to chase away the elephant. But it kept devouring the trees. Then Hasanuddin managed to assemble woods to set a bonfire. The fire caused the elephant move away from the farm. But it continued to eat the remains of the banana stalks after breaking another barbwire-fence. Around 2 o’clock pre dawn, after completely finished the stalks, the elephant left the farm. (more…)
Victims of conflict in Aceh demand that the government of Indonesia establish either a Human Rights Court or a Commission for Truth and Reconciliation in order to prevent future crimes against humanity.
This Acehnese woman wants to know who killed her relative. (Courtesy of Tarmizi Harva)
SUKMAWATI stood with her right fist pointed up to the cloudy sky. Her clothes and veil became wet as a light rain began to fall.
“Long life to victims of conflict!” a woman shouted through a megaphone. She stood in front of Sukmawati and other women. The victims of conflict from different districts across Aceh province, united in protest in front of the local parliament building on Monday, July 23, 2007.
“Long life …!” Sukmawati replied in a loud voice, and then she began to cry. At 52, she is a widow from Kabu Tunong village, Nagan Raya District, Aceh province. She has been teaching biology for years in a junior high school at Nagan Timur sub district, where she has around 160 poor students. (more…)
Having difficult moment of living throughout years of conflict, violence and deadly tsunami, numerous farmers then refer their intention in farming.
Let's check the cocoa seed.
NURSIAH (42) was impatient to greening her new farmland with cocoa seeds. The mother of two sons has cleaned the farmland from the bushes amidst unfriendly heat that afternoon. For about half a hectare of her land hampered across Arun Patah village in Panga sub district, Aceh Jaya district.
“I’ve been waiting for the seeds. Staff of Caritas Czech Republic said they will give them to us when the field school program ended,” Nursiah said, happily.
Having difficult moment of living throughout years of conflict, violence and deadly disaster, Nursiah then refer her intention in farming. Her first husband has divorced her during conflicting era in Aceh in 2000. She was accused as an Inong Balee, a GAM military wing for women. Inong Balee means widow. (more…)
Despite increasing the volunteers score, the human right defenders’ struggle in post conflict of Aceh continues heavier.
Post enemy or friend?
KAMARUDDIN has been going from Banda Aceh, the Aceh capital, to Langsa in East Aceh district more than three times. Each trip, and vice versa, took for a day by bus. The vice deputy of Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) in Banda Aceh must attend the Langsa district court every week. Local attorney accused him of causing instigation publicly.
“The court has been in session for seven times, but the decision is not released until today. The attorney is still questioning the witnesses. There are five court sessions remaining,” he said, exhausted.
Since 4 August 2007, Langsa Police Resort suspected him in instigation case. He was not alone in the case. The police was also suspected his seven colleagues in LBH, Mukhsalmina, Yulisa Fitri, Sugiono, Muhammad Jully Fuady, Mardiati, Mustiqal Syahputra, and Juanda. (more…)
Years of conflict brings deeply sorrow among the children in Aceh. They learn to break the fears through traditional art performance.
Have you recognize any men in the uniform, buddy?
DEDI Marlansyah’s (16) cheeks strained as he played a traditional flute called Seurune Kalee. His fingers moved from one small hole to another on the Serune stick. The flute’s wail was followed by a steady beat from the Rapa’i, a traditional tambourine. Fahrul Razi (14) and two other boys who sat next Marlansyah played the Rapa’i. They sat with legs crossed on a wide blue canvas at Lam Kunyet ex-emergency elementary school yard, rehabilitated by a UN agency.
Shortly after, ranks of young girls came from five directions, moving towards the canvas. They formed a letter ‘V’. Their hands and legs moved together beautifully. They followed the Serunee’s wail and Rapa’i’s rhythm.
“Stop… Stop! Let’s repeat!” Yusfarli (26) shouted suddenly. (more…)
