Ambon children express trauma through art<\/p>\n
Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Makassar<\/p>\n
Dear Tammi Aimi, Ternate. I'm longing for my home and to see
\nall my friends. But I'm scared, wondering if you, my friend Tammi,
\nare willing to welcome me back, as we saw our family among those
\nwho attacked yours. Your friend, Sukardi<\/p>\n
The letter was written by 12-year-old Sukardi Razak, an
\nAmbonese refugee in Makassar and was one of seven that made it to
\nthe final of a painting, poetry and letter writing competition.<\/p>\n
Dozens of young refugees from Ambon entered the contest, which
\nwas organized by the Children's Advocacy Study Investigating
\nInstitute (LISAN) and the Team for the Settlement of Ambonese
\nCases, supported by the Makassar branch of UNICEF in the city's
\nfort of Rotterdam last week. The competition received 31
\npaintings, 13 poems and seven letters.<\/p>\n
Interestingly, most of the work reflected various acts of
\nviolence, which the children tried to depict through drawings,
\npoems and short stories.<\/p>\n
Sandi Laksana Said, a 10-year-old student in Makassar, painted
\na man in a green uniform and a resident beheading one another.
\nSeveral other pictures showed hostility in detail through arson
\nattacks, with one showing a Muslim and a Christian facing each
\nother, swords unsheathed. There were drawings done in a random
\nblack scrawl, a failed attempt to translate the relevant
\nexperiences on paper.<\/p>\n
The same was evident in the children's poetry category.
\nTwelve-year-old Zulfikar Imran composed "The Idul Fitri Tragedy",
\na vivid description of the atmosphere during Ambon's first riot
\nin 1998. Letters appeared in a similar tone. Sukardi Razak, while
\nexpressing his longing to see old friends in Ternate, revealed
\nhis distrust to his close friend, Tammi. "I dread going home," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Zaenal Beta, one of several artists scrutinizing the work, was
\nsurprised at the children's spontaneous reaction. In his opinion,
\ntheir creations mirrored the fear and trauma of Ambon's refugees.
\n"In many cases, their sketches are no longer composed of unbroken
\nlines. Some don't even draw shapes to interpret, because their
\nimaginations can no longer take form," added painter Beta.<\/p>\n
Ismarli Muis, a psychologist at state-run Makassar University,
\nconcluded that in general, the Ambonese children he had met
\nsuffered from emotional trauma.<\/p>\n
"Acts of violence have become something the youngsters cannot
\nforget. Once they witness brutality, they will always remember
\nit," said Ismarli, who has been an active volunteer helping
\nrefugees in Makassar.<\/p>\n
Their trauma, he said, is manifested in their artwork. Ismarli
\ndiscovered through his counseling sessions with several children
\nthat they were physically healthy, but were suffering from severe
\nemotional trauma. The affliction is usually noticeable from their
\nsudden fits of anxiety and inability to hear explosions, screams
\nand cries, which follow almost every atrocity in children's
\nlives.<\/p>\n
Based on data from LISAN, over 1,000 Ambonese children are
\ntaking refuge in South Sulawesi, with at least 700 sheltering in
\nMakassar and Gowa. The rest can be found in the regencies of Wajo
\nand Sidrap. The highest total of Ambonese refugees ever recorded
\nin Makassar is 9,000.<\/p>\n
LISAN-Makassar coordinator Rusdin Tompo said not all the
\nAmbonese children in the city were properly registered, because
\nthey were scattered throughout the area, staying in local
\nresidents' homes instead of camps. This is not a good situation
\nfor the children as it limits their access to assistance and
\nschooling, and "they have the right to receive education and
\nmental enrichment", he added.<\/p>\n
Their situation has been worsened by the lack of attention
\ngiven by the government on the fate of young refugees. If any aid
\nis provided, it is sporadic and unscheduled. "We hope there will
\nbe serious efforts and measures taken to look after them. They
\ncannot be left to grow up in the shadow of their murky past,"
\nappealed Rusdin.<\/p>\n
Rusdin's statement rings true. Unless appropriate steps are
\ntaken to deal with the issue of young Ambonese refugees in
\nMakassar, the fears of world-renowned psychologist Rizzini may be
\nconfirmed. Rizzini once said that children were the beginning of
\na civilization, and violent acts affecting them herald the
\ndestruction of civilization. The question is whether or not the
\nnation is still concerned about the fate of its young generation.<\/p>",
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