A look at soldiers' life in Aceh

A look at soldiers' life in Aceh

Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

The word "barracks" is not an unfamiliar one, and most people
know it is a place where soldiers are lodged. If you have seen
the 1993 film China Beach about the daily lives of Chinese
soldiers, or films about the lives of U.S. soldiers during their
deployment to the 1991 Gulf War, you have an impression of how
soldiers live during their deployment.

What you imagine a barracks looks like is probably not too far
off the mark in most cases, with one exception at least being the
military barracks in Montasik, some 30 kilometers south of the
Aceh provincial capital of Banda Aceh.

You would think at least twice before sending your son off to
join the Indonesian Military if you were ever to set foot in this
barracks.

Located in a remote area on the outskirts of Banda Aceh, it is
difficult for visitors to reach the barracks, having to pass
along narrow but paved roads, through paddy fields and up into
the mountains.

The 20-by-20 meter barracks accommodates 30 infantrymen from
the Siliwangi Military Command overseeing West Java. Prior to
being used to lodge soldiers, the building was used to thrash
unhusked paddy before being abandoned by its owner because of the
prolonged conflict in the province.

Inside the barracks, with its collection of spider webs and a
leaking roof, soldiers have to pass long days far from home and
with a complete absence of any form of entertainment.

Outside the barracks, the soldiers have established three
posts using sacks of sands, from where they monitor the situation
around the large village nearby.

On-duty soldiers in the posts always carry their rifles in
anticipation of an assault by rebels, while the caged birds they
keep in the posts keep them company with their songs.

"We feel at home here, and the locals are very nice. They gave
us a warm welcome. This is much better than the situation when
were assigned to East Timor in the past," Second Lt. Heri, the
commander of the platoon, told The Jakarta Post recently.

Inside the barracks, the soldiers sleep on black mattress set
on wood frames. The frames come in all shapes and sizes, having
been made according to the preference of the soldiers. And this
ramshackle collection of frames lends an air of disarray to the
barracks.

But all that really matters for the soldiers is comfort. The
walls are adorned with photographs of their girlfriends and
family. It is indeed a simple life.

"I usually go and listen to my birds sing when I start feeling
lonely and start missing my family," said Heri.

Heri said that he was proud of his men for being able to
overcome the lack of facilities and fill their downtime by
praying, gardening and looking after their collection of pets.

Despite their isolation, the soldiers have a pile of rice and
a sufficient supply of vegetables from their own garden behind
the barracks.

"We grow a variety of vegetables back there." Pvt. Sa'id said,
peeling a pumpkin taken from a small plot behind the sentry box.

The infantrymen, who have been deployed to Aceh for six
months, get a Rp 17,500 (US$2) meal allowance every day and each
man chips in Rp 5,000 to buy eggs, cooking oil and fruit. Some of
the money is also spent on coffee and cigarettes, with the rest
finding its way into their plastic piggy bank in the corner of
the barracks.

"We have to be able to manage the pocket money, but please do
not compare it with the salaries of soldiers abroad," Heri said.

The increasing violence in Aceh has created a strong sense of
solidarity among the soldiers.

"Everyone must stay alert and be loyal to the commander. All
things must be handled properly," said Heri.

One of the men said he had yet to see his newborn son. "My
wife gave birth when we were on our way to Aceh," he said.

Heri said that during his assignment in the province, some
rebels from the Free Aceh Movement contacted him by radio for
friendly talks.

"I'm an Acehnese and Muslim, and I have tried to persuade them
to go back to their villages to live a normal life and to help
solve the Aceh problem. We use this approach because we are
confident the conflict cannot be resolved with violence," he
said.