TNI lost war to win hearts in Aceh
TNI lost war to win hearts in Aceh
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A little Acehnese boy eyed us calmly when a group of armed rebels
inspected our belongings one by one. His mother was hanging out
clothes to dry while men riding bicycles threw us a cheerful
smile and the Muslim greeting assalamualaikum.
This was the scene when a group of journalists tasked to cover
the war in the province -- decided to meet Ishak Daud, spokesman
and commander of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in East Aceh, in an
unidentified area in the regency and interviewed him over the
recent issues, including the fate of our journalist colleague
Ersa Siregar and cameraman Ferry Santoro from RCTI private TV
station and dozens of other civilians held hostage in the
regency.
"I'm sorry. This is the procedure. We have to inspect all your
belongings and conduct a body search. We also have to collect
your cellular phones and any other dangerous materials. We will
return them to you after the meeting with our commander," one of
Ishak's bodyguards told the journalists.
Meeting with GAM rebels at their camps has been prohibited for
journalists since Jakarta imposed martial law and launched the
military operation on May 19. But indeed, it's a challenge for us
to arrange the meeting with the rebels to cover both sides from
the battlefield.
We need to check whether GAM rebels are really as cruel as
they have been made out to be or as many military officers have
described.
I sat on the grass while waiting for my turn to have a meeting
and interview with Ishak.
The villagers showed no surprise or concern when more rebels
came out and surrounded us. Some turned and looked at us and
stopped for a while, but later, they smiled and raised their
hands in greeting when they realized rebels were just conducting
a routine procedure in receiving guests, including journalists.
Some people who were sitting inside the mosque and reading the
Koran also did the same. After saying assalamualaikum to GAM
rebels, they continued reading the holy verses.
Villagers even offered fresh coconut water to us and the
rebels. We drank the coconut water together while joking with one
another.
The rebels and Acehnese civilians have developed close ties
and cooperation, something the military and the police have not
been able to do so far.
They speak the Acehnese language. They have grown up in the
same environment. They have known each other since they were very
young. And most of all, they are flesh and blood, brothers and
sisters.
I learned that villagers had a different response when
soldiers entered rural and remote areas in the province.
Once I traveled with soldiers as an embedded journalist.
Trembling women would hold their children tightly and close
their doors as they heard the sound of military boots
approaching. Men looked nervous as soldiers questioned them
whether they were aware of the presence of GAM members.
Teungku Jamaika, GAM spokesman overseeing North Aceh, once
said: "GAM is not an imported product. We are the children of the
land of Aceh. Pressure against the Acehnese will never kill our
spirit, unless Jakarta kills all the Acehnese people here."
In this aspect, GAM is one step ahead: They win the hearts and
minds of the Acehnese.
If Jakarta intends to end the Acehnese struggle and win their
hearts and minds, it has to understand the psychology of the
people instead of sending 35,000 troops in a show of force and
bombarding the territory with sophisticated F-16 airplanes.
As torture, looting, murder, rape and intimidation against the
civilians continues in Aceh, I saw that few soldiers realized
that their presence in Aceh was not only to crush the armed
rebellion, but to build peace and create a feeling safety among
the civilians.
Maybe Ishak Daud was right to say: "Such a war will create
only a pseudo-peace here."