Women, the other voice of troubled Aceh, speak up

Women, the other voice of troubled Aceh, speak up

More than a year after the formal end of the military
operation in Aceh, an average of about five people were killed
daily in the province. The following is an excerpt of an
interview with Naimah Hasan, chief organizer of the February
Acehnese women's congress in Banda Aceh, held from Feb. 20 to
Feb. 22.

Question: State Minister of Human Rights Hasballah M. Saad has
said there are not enough funds for trials of rights abuses. How
do you view this further delay?

Answer: Rights abusers must be brought to trial. How come
there is no money for that? It's no exaggeration for us to say
that Aceh is a stepchild (to the republic); funds must be raised
if the republic really wants Aceh to be part of it.

The Acehnese have been left aggrieved by the central
government. We should acknowledge that Aceh was virtually the
initial capital of the republic, as the Acehnese have contributed
their wealth since the independence struggle, and (the province)
was still the largest contributor when the crisis hit. However,
we have been drained of our resources yet we even received less
funds than East Timor.

Then soldiers were sent to face the independence movement
(GAM) here but their numbers must far outnumber GAM. This has led
soldiers to commit all sorts of actions -- we have much evidence
-- and things have even worsened compared to the military
operation period (1989-1998).

The government must make up for the past wrongs.

Q: What do you do and how did the congress come about?

A: I teach secretarial studies and public relations at (state)
Syiah Kuala University. I have been active for years in the
Women's Coordination Body. I wanted to do something for women in
Aceh, who are very marginalized.

Aceh's history is indeed marked by achievements of women
rulers and heroes, but that was some 400 years ago. I've always
been baffled at the fact that men have a phobia toward women in
Aceh, who find it difficult to get a chance for themselves.

Sadder still, the women also believe they do not have a
chance. Student activists immediately disappear once they are
married. The attitude is that they do not need to think for the
public, they are easily contented once they have families. It's
such a pity given the many university graduates among women, who
make up 52 percent of some 4.2 million people in Aceh.

The family planning program has been quite a success in Aceh,
and women in the cities only have an average of two children.

Ironically, Aceh is supposed to be a religious, Islamic
society -- so we need a breakthrough.

Q: What does that mean for the condition in Aceh?

A: In this situation of conflicts, in many of the talks held
about it, I have hardly ever seen women. I am quite worried when
people make statements on behalf of the Acehnese while the
largest number of victims has been women. They need to be
involved, and that is why I am taking the congress results to
President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Many issues have not significantly been raised and acted on,
and there is no sign of an immediate solution to Aceh's problems.
Women have suffered greatly -- look at all those women having to
give birth and raise children in shelters with no clean water.

Women whose husbands have been killed face a new burden. Many
of those in the villages with five or seven children were highly
dependent on their men. They told me they can only seek jobs on
people's land for a daily wage of Rp 5,000, and even such jobs
are not found each day.

Men have not been focusing to that extent while this situation
is worsening with five or six killed daily. In February alone 145
were killed.

Q: What have the men been talking about? A referendum?

A: A referendum is still something up in the air, when will it
happen? Meanwhile, people are killed every day, children are
dropping out of school. The theme of the congress, called the
Duek Pakat Inong Aceh, was therefore peace and justice (several
participants walked out, demanding that a referendum become one
recommendation -- Ed.).

Participants also pointed out that no one feels safe enough to
go about earning a decent living; even going to the mosque is not
safe. Banda Aceh mosques were comparatively quiet on Idul Fitri
(Jan. 8).

If this continues, in six months the Acehnese could be wiped
out. So we tried to gather women to hear their aspirations.

Q: What was your main impression of the congress?

A: It was extraordinary, to have such enthusiasm at a time like
this. Women from Singkil district could not come because of
threats to their lives. (Some participants were threatened that
they would be killed if the congress ruled against a referendum
-- Ed.). We don't know the people who made the threats.

The congress was also very legitimate in representing women;
we had drawn up a criteria that every 5,000 women would be
represented by one woman. It was impressive to see how women (437
from 12 Aceh regencies and townships, and from outside Aceh) from
remote villages and from refugee shelters, including widows, sat
side by side and really talked, with no barriers, with the city
women.

The process was quite democratic, and no forum in Aceh so far
has been on a par in that aspect. The congress, which followed up
on an earlier precongress event, was also very consistent in the
focus on peace.

The women came up with forward-looking recommendations for
Aceh's welfare, such as the proposal against relying on foreign
debt, and a deadline of April 2000 for achieving fiscal balance.

Q: Is that realistic?

A: Aceh must be treated as an emergency case. Our infrastructure,
including thousands of schools and shops, has been burned down.
District chiefs no longer come to their offices. The provincial
administration is no longer effective.

There has been little compensation for thousands of refugees
who have returned to their homes only to find that they have been
robbed of everything; even little, worthless things to robbers
were destroyed. What is this, what is happening?

Q: Islam recognizes equality between men and women. It seems the
congress signaled fear of a setback if Aceh applies the Islamic
Syariah law. Why?

A: The applying of Syariah is indeed a common aspiration. Special
autonomy was promised to in the never-realized law of 1956.
However, many are ignorant about the true teachings of Islam;
many believe that in line with Islam, the woman's place is in the
kitchen.

Q: How are Acehnese women reacting to the compulsory wearing of
the jilbab (headscarves)?

A: I am among those most opposed to people taking the law into
their own hands, as evident in the cutting of women's uncovered
hair, and (public humiliation) of (women wearing short) skirts in
public. Those involved are hoodlums, maybe trying to be heroes.

An understanding of Islam cannot start from clothing. People
must be given a chance to intensively study Islam (before
deciding to apply the Syariah), and in the meantime everyone
should restrain themselves. We could do that in a month.

Some believe the chador is compulsory. But that is a Middle
Eastern custom, it is not Islam.

Q: You met with First Lady Sinta Nuriyah recently, and she
questioned the security of women if they were expected to be
involved as negotiators. What did you tell her?

A: The threat is there but need one stop? It is indeed burdensome
for families. How would children feel if told they would be
killed on account of their parents' actions? I go out with a
companion to ease my family's anxiety.

Q: Are you worried that applying the Syariah might lead to women,
for instance, being banned from working outside the home?

A: Not at all, we have several objective ulema. Much work needs
to be done with such ulema and other experts (on reinterpretation
of Islam regarding women). We stated in the congress that
Acehnese women's future lies in the proper application of the
Syariah.

We recommended a provincial rule on the application of
Syariah. It will be up to the local legislative bodies to ensure
a women's perspective in its implementation. (anr)