Rights activists fleeing Aceh to avoid arrests
The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh/Jakarta
Leading the life of a human rights activist working in war-torn Aceh is obviously not something that everyone is cut out for.
Intimidation, assault, abduction and even murder have long been occupational hazards for activists in the province, which has been the scene of a bloody conflict for over 27 years.
The imposition of martial law in the province on May 19 has created another nightmare for them as the troops label them supporters of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which is the target of the military operation in the province.
On Thursday, a joint military and police team arrested Nuraini, 27, a volunteer coordinator for the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) in Pidie, and her 70-year-old father Zakaria Umar.
Lt. Col. Supartodi, Pidie military commander, told reporters that Nuraini and her father were arrested as the officers found some 20 ID cards in their house during a raid at 5 a.m. on Thursday.
He added that Zakaria was a former member of GAM and once led the separatists in the Bambum area of Delima district.
The officers also arrested 50-year-old Zulkifli, who is allegedly a fund-raiser for GAM.
Nuraini told The Jakarta Post that she was harassed sexually by the officers during the trip from her house to the Pidie military district office.
The military has declared that it will crack down on activists from non-governmental organizations linked to GAM. They include the Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA) and the Student- People's Solidarity (SMUR) organizations.
Many rights activists, especially from NGOs labeled by the military as having links to GAM, have fled the province due to the increasing threats.
Jamek (not his real name), a volunteer with a rights organization in Aceh whom the military labels a GAM supporter, spoke to the Post on Thursday about the impossible situation he found himself in.
"I left the province last month to avoid possible abduction by military-backed militias," he told the Post during an interview on Thursday.
Jamek, who repeatedly asked to remain anonymous, has been investigating the existence of pro-Jakarta militias in Aceh since 2000.
Militiamen, who happened to be his neighbors in a village in Central Aceh, later found out about his activities, and then visited his home to ask his parents about his whereabouts.
On his way home from Banda Aceh, Jamek made a phone call to his house. His parents told him not to come home and to leave Aceh immediately as one of his cousins had been shot dead by the militia.
He then went back to Banda Aceh. Unfortunately, another group of militia stopped the public bus he was riding in to seek out GAM members.
"They checked my belongings. I could only pray to God for protection. Fortunately, they let us go," said Jamek, who has been a rights monitor for five years.
Jamek managed to leave Banda Aceh for Jakarta to avoid arbitrary arrest. "If you are arrested, it means you disappear."
He said a number of other activists had left the province for other parts of the country.
"Several friends of mine who are married must live apart from their families as they don't want them to become involved in this affair," he said.
Jamek believes that intelligence agents continue to monitor them. Therefore, the activists have always to be on the alert.
Not only that. In addition, not all neighborhoods, especially in Jakarta, welcome Acehnese. Jamek says he has to move from one place to another as neighborhood unit leaders always quiz him due to his Acehnese origins.
"I don't feel like I am a citizen of this country," said Jamek.