Youngest 'chantoi' gives story

Youngest 'chantoi' gives story

His name is Ayus Rizal, 13. He is the youngest Acehnese resident
currently undergoing training at the military camp for former
separatist rebels in Reuleut village, North Aceh.

He once became a chantoi (civilian recruited by GAM as an
undercover agent to spy on the rebels' enemies) and was tasked
with finding supplies, such as rice or cigarettes, for his
commanders.

The last of four children, he admitted that he had surrendered
to the Indonesian Military (TNI) because he was afraid that he
might otherwise die young from a soldier's bullet.

"When I joined GAM, I used to help the rebels obtain
foodstuffs and other supplies. They paid me for this ... about Rp
20,000 (US$2.2) each time I went to their camp and brought
cigarettes, rice or other food," said the young, handsome boy,
who was born in 1991.

The military has claimed that GAM recruited teenagers as
chantoi, to monitor military maneuvers in the field. Some of the
chantoi are equipped with walkie-talkies to keep in touch with
the guerrillas.

The chantoi regularly informed rebels about the presence and
targets of operations set by TNI soldiers.

Ayus, nevertheless, denied that he ever supplied GAM fighters
with information on the whereabouts of soldiers.

The second-grade student at a local junior high school in
Geudong village, North Aceh, claimed that he was prepared to help
GAM because he wanted to do so. No further reason was given.

He said that none of his family members had joined the
secessionist movement, which has fought for independence since
1970.

"My parents have visited me here, so my have my sisters and
brothers. I miss not being with them again," Ayus said. -- JP