Aceh soldiers vulnerable to mental disorders

Aceh soldiers vulnerable to mental disorders

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post/Banda Aceh

A soldier from the Siliwangi Military Command posted in Nanggroe
Aceh Darussalam recently complained about his length of duty in
the province.

"I have been posted in Aceh for nearly 13 months. There is
still no sign of us returning home. I always long for my family,"
he said.

He said this was his second tour of duty in Aceh. The first
time he was posted to the province several years ago, his wife
was pregnant. When he returned home, his child was already nine
months old.

"My child has been calling me uncle instead of dad ever since.
I was reassigned after being home with my family for only a
month," the soldier said.

To fill the void left by their missing families, soldiers
decorate their living quarters with family photographs. However,
pictures cannot replace the real thing.

Besides longing for their loved ones, the soldiers face other
problems like their meager daily allowances of Rp 17,500 (US$2),
the difficulty of the territory in which they operate and locals
who clearly do not appreciate their presence.

Several troops posted around Tiro, Pidie, 116 kilometers east
of Banda Aceh municipality, acknowledged that even after being
posted in the area for some time, locals continued to keep their
distance.

It is difficult for them to mix with residents, particularly
because there is much resentment among locals toward soldiers,
most of whom come from Java and are seen as oppressors.

This is unfortunate for the soldiers, and winning the hearts
of the Acehnese is the most difficult task they have to
accomplish during military operations in Aceh against the Free
Aceh Movement (GAM).

"We are confused. It is hard to distinguish between a GAM
rebel and an ordinary resident. We have to risk being shot at or
we just shoot them first. But it is also risky to shoot the wrong
person," said a soldier in Tiro.

This confusion only adds to the soldiers' stress. The longer
they are on duty, the more distressed the soldiers become, and
sometimes they resort to violence or brutality.

"They shoot cattle or whatever they find if they don't meet
any rebels. They also treat the local residents roughly," a
resident of Indrapuri, Aceh Besar regency, told The Jakarta Post.

There have been numerous incidents in Aceh involving soldiers
suffering from apparent mental problems, such as an incident in
Takengon where a soldier randomly shot at residents in January.

And a middle-ranking officer shot five soldiers from another
unit last week at the Neusu Jaya military base in Banda Aceh
municipality, the capital of Aceh. Four of the soldiers died at
the scene.

Iskandar Muda Military Command spokesman Maj. Husain
acknowledged that long tours of duty could psychologically
influence soldiers. "But they are constantly being rotated," he
said.

Soldiers' tour of duty in war zones such as Aceh
is about six to 12 months, but can be extended depending on the
readiness of replacement troops and the operational targets, he
said.

Military personnel go through a one to three-month pretour
period. If they have been posted in Aceh previously,
this period will be shorter.

The psychological unit of the Iskandar Muda Military Command
treats soldiers to prevent problems like stress and depression.

"The unit is located in Lhokseumawe. Soldiers are routinely
checked and we immediately treat them if there are any
indications of such illnesses," Husain said.

According to a military source, soldiers are also given
psychological exams before being assigned to battle operation
areas.

"Oddly enough, all of them pass the exam," the source said.