Fear has two faces for survivors<\/p>\n
This is the last of three articles about Lampuuk, which was once
\na popular weekend spot for Banda Aceh residents but has been left
\nvirtually deserted as its surviving residents shelter in camps at
\nLham Lhom following the tsunami. The Jakarta Post's Nani Afrida
\ntoured the area, interviewed the displaced people and prepared
\nthese articles.<\/p>\n
Surviving Lampuuk villagers currently staying in Lham Lhom camp
\nhave undergone more suffering than most people will ever have to
\nbear. First, from the disaster and the slow arrival of aid and
\nsecond, from the continuing armed conflict between the military
\nand the separatist movement in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Unlike other refugee camps, the location of Lham Lhom camp is
\nquite difficult to reach, and thus only a handful of volunteer
\ngroups could deliver food, water and other emergency assistance
\nto them. Consequently, they have often run out of supplies.<\/p>\n
"We did not choose to stay at this place. We were brought here
\nby the tsunami itself," Zul, 35, told The Jakarta Post. The
\ndistance between Lampuuk and Lham Lhom is about five kilometers.<\/p>\n
Though they have already endured the unimaginable, the Lampuuk
\npeople continue to live in fear as gunshots sound and some of
\ntheir fellow survivors have allegedly been murdered.<\/p>\n
When The Jakarta Post, escorted by the displaced people,
\nvisited Lampuuk village, where Lampuuk mosque still stands amid
\nruins, a number of gunshots were heard.<\/p>\n
"Only three days after the tsunami, five of our fellow
\nrefugees were shot dead by security forces," said Odi, not his
\nreal name.<\/p>\n
No one at the camp was willing to talk about the incident.
\nThey only confirmed that five of their fellow displaced people
\nhad been shot dead.<\/p>\n
According to sources, the five victims were Andri, Abubakar,
\nBasyir, Ridwan and Ardi.<\/p>\n
The sources said that the five had traveled to their destroyed
\nvillage of Lampuuk to save whatever they could, including a
\nmotorcycle. On their way, they met security forces, who allegedly
\nkilled them all.<\/p>\n
"Lampuuk refugees were even asked to bury the five victims,
\nwho were accused to be (by the security forces) GAM members, but
\nthey were not, they were just refugees like us," Odi said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Military (TNI) confirmed the incident, but said
\nthat only two people were shot dead, and both were members of the
\nseparatist Free Aceh Movement, which had tried to intervene
\nagainst TNI's humanitarian operation in the area.<\/p>\n
The military is now tightening security in the area,
\nreportedly for fear that GAM members could infiltrate camps and
\ndivert the influx of assistance into their cause.<\/p>\n
Since that incident, no Lampuuk people have dared to return to
\ntheir home village to see what remains of their houses and to try
\nto retrieve the corpses still buried under the debris.<\/p>\n
"They (the TNI and GAM) have no feelings. We are suffering
\nfrom this disaster and still mourning our dead relatives, but
\nthey continue with their armed conflict," said one displaced
\nperson who refused to be identified.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fear-has-two-faces-for-survivors-1447899208",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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