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.