Life slowly revives in troubled Aceh

Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe/Banda Aceh

It is already 10 p.m., but residents of Lhokseumawe, some 300 kilometers east of the provincial capital Banda Aceh, still flock to the town's only recreation park. Some come by becak (pedicab), while others arrive on foot.

In the park, several children are playing on the swings, accompanied by their parents. While at the edge of the park, vendors selling boiled peanuts, cigarettes, and various snacks are busy serving their customers.

"We hope this situation will continue," Lhokseumawe resident Ayi, 30, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

Indeed, signs of life are slowly returning to Lhokseumawe and other towns in warn-torn Aceh, thanks to the landmark peace agreement signed by the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on Dec. 9 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Under the deal, the government and GAM, which has been fighting for independence since 1976, pledged to immediately cease hostilities and all forms of violence toward each other and toward the people of Aceh.

Ayi said the Acehnese people, particularly Lhokseumawe residents, were already weary of the war and tired of living in fear. "Before, we would worry if we had not reached home by 8 p.m., fearing that we would not be able to go home at all," said Ayi, the father of an eight-month-old baby girl.

Ayi said now he had the courage to bring his wife and daughter to sit and relax at Jasbret or go around the town of Lhokseumawe in the evening.

"I hope this situation will continue," he said.

Over 10,000 people, mostly innocent civilians, have been killed since GAM declared its war for independence in 1976.

Thanks to the peace agreement, Lhokseumawe, where bomb explosions and armed contacts between the Indonesian Military (TNI) and GAM fighters have been regular occurrences for the past 26 years, has now transformed into a serene, laid-back town.

According to local residents, there has been no sound of gunshots, bomb explosions, or exchanges of fire between TNI and GAM in Lhokseumawe, known for its liquefied natural gas or LNG, since the government inked a truce with Acehnese rebels.

The town's only recreation park has suddenly turned into a playground for children and adults until late into the night.

Lhokseumawe residents have also returned to their tradition of eating at sidewalk stalls called Jabret located in front of the Lhokseumawe regent's office.

Various dishes are served at Jabret, which means Jasa Beurata in Acehnese, literally meaning equal service. Food served includes fried rice, Padang satay, and various drinks.

Before the signing of the agreement, Jasbret was open until 9 p.m. at the latest. But if ever there was a bomb explosion or gunfire between the TNI and GAM, Jabret would close early.

Since the signing of the peace agreement between the government and GAM fighters, Jabret has been open well beyond midnight. It is no wonder that Jabret has also become a place where Lhokseumawe residents can sit and relax together with their families.

Peace has also dawned upon the provincial capital Banda Aceh. The Baiturrahman Grand Mosque intersection, which was previously crowded with betel leaf traders, is now also swamped by food vendors selling bakso (meatball soup), cendol, (traditional drink) and various games.

Side-walk coffee shops, locally known as kedai kopi, are now open far beyond midnight. Previously, they closed at around 9 p.m. at the latest.

"We have been longing for nights like this," said Husin, 35, while enjoying his coffee and a traditional pancake called martabak telur in Banda Aceh.

"Before I did not dare stay outside the house until this late," Husin said, a resident of Lambaro, some 10 kilometers outside Banda Aceh.

Husin, who sells shirts for children at the Pasar Aceh public market, would usually go home immediately after closing his shop at Pasar Aceh at around 6:30 p.m. Now, Husin sometimes performs sholat magrib at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque at around 6:45 or chats with fellow traders at sidewalk coffee shops before heading for home.

City transportation, locally known as labi-labi, (minivan) are also operating until around 12 midnight for some routes, as are becak and ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers.

"We don't ask for anything else but peace," says Nyak Minah, 50, a vegetable trader at Pasar Aceh. Nyak Minah, whose husband passed away several years ago, has eight children to support.