Children suffer in Aceh's many years of unrest<\/p>\n
By Tarmilin Usman<\/p>\n
ACEH (JP): Since Darwisah, 14, was a small girl, she nurtured
\nan ambition to be a midwife. She hoped she would be able to
\nfinancially support her poor parents through the career. But as a
\nsixth-grader in elementary school, Darwisah has to be content
\nwith only the dream to become a midwife. It will be very
\ndifficult, if not impossible, for her to realize her ambition as
\nshe is now facing a great challenge for her future.<\/p>\n
Darwisah has stopped her schooling for two months now. If she
\ncannot study further than sixth grade, she can never hope to
\nbecome a midwife. \"I really don't know what to do, but I really
\nwant to become a midwife,\" she said in a strong Acehnese accent.<\/p>\n
Darwisah lost her father when she was still very small.
\nNobody knows where her father, Ibrahim Sulaiman, is buried. Her
\nfather was allegedly killed by the military when Aceh was still a
\nmilitary operation zone. \"Even our house was burned to the
\nground,\" she said with grief clearly showing on her face.
\nDarwisah and her family are only one of many families who fell
\nvictim to the violence during the military operation period in
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
As Darwisah and her family have received no aid to build a new
\nhouse, they live in a hut in Alu Landong Geumpang village, Pidie,
\nsome 90 km away from Sigli, the capital of Pidie district. Is it
\nright Darwisah has to bear this plight, and is it right she has
\nto have a bleak future?<\/p>\n
However, sweet Darwisah is not the only one with a gloomy
\nfate. Hundreds of girls and boys in the same age group as
\nDarwisah have dropped out of schools in Aceh, leaving behind
\ntheir ambitions to become, among other things, teachers, soldiers
\nand policemen.<\/p>\n
One may ask why these boys and girls, who are believed to be
\nthe next generation to take charge of the country, were forced to
\nbecome school dropouts? There are two big problems that the
\nAcehnese are confronting. First, children can no longer go to
\nschool because their schools were destroyed by some unidentified
\nindividuals. Second, hundreds of children now stay in various
\nrefugee accommodation sites along with their parents.<\/p>\n
What will be their future be like? When will the government
\nrebuild the schools? \"My child has been doing nothing in these
\npast three months. Her school was burned down some three months
\nago by some unidentified people,\" said Abdurrahman, one of the
\nresidents of Geumpang.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of school-age children in Aceh, particularly in
\nPidie, are now school dropouts. Their parents, mostly widows,
\ncannot do much to help. They hardly have enough money to keep
\ntheir body and soul together, let alone sending children to other
\ntowns or cities to continue schooling. \"We don't feel safe yet.
\nWe are still traumatized by the horrible events of the past and
\npresent,\" said Azizah, 45.<\/p>\n
At present, there are some 800 school dropouts across Pidie,
\nwhile thousands of pupils cannot study properly or peacefully.
\nThey have to study at other schools in the late afternoon. Some
\nhave to join classes at nearby schools.<\/p>\n
The Pidie district head, M Djakfar Is, hopes that education
\ninstitutions in Pidie can find the best solution for the dropouts
\nto ensure that they can continue enjoying their education.
\nUnfortunately, this hope simply remains a hope.<\/p>\n
It is difficult for education institutions in Pidie district
\nto find a solution, especially since they are strapped for cash
\nand cannot restore dozens of razed schools. \"We have done our
\nbest to solve this problem,\" said the head of Pidie education and
\nculture service, Djohan Nurdin.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that one thousand elementary school pupils
\nwere not studying in peace, a factor that explained why most of
\nthem were not serious in pursuing their studies. These pupils
\nhave to study beyond regular school hours at a building spared
\nfrom fire damage.<\/p>\n
All the Acehnese are wondering who could have had the heart to
\nburn schools. Maybe some do not want to see the education level
\nimproved among residents. \"We are still curious about the motive
\nbehind the arson,\" said Syahrul Nurfa, an NGO activist.<\/p>\n
He said with Aceh in its present condition, parents of school
\ndropouts cannot do much because they are still traumatized with
\nthe incidents before the military operation zone status was
\nlifted and afterwards.<\/p>\n
When can these young people continue their schooling? Do they
\nhave to wait until the \"bickering\" involving the political elite
\nin this country comes to an end? Obviously, these children are
\nhoping to have a brighter future.<\/p>\n
Acehnese children are not thinking about their future now.
\nAway from school, they are enjoying themselves. When they can
\nreturn to school depends on the local government.<\/p>\n
It is not likely that these children will have the same fate
\nas their parents, especially because most of them are children of
\nthe victims of the imposition of the military operation zone
\nstatus. Many have lost their fathers after they were allegedly
\nshot dead by the military. They do not know where their fathers
\nare buried. These children need education so that they can build
\ntheir own villages. And perhaps someday Darwisah will see her
\nambition come true.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/children-suffer-in-acehs-many-years-of-unrest-1447893297",
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