PERS REALESE

National Gathering in Sedie Jadi:

Momentum to Promote Peace and Break the Chain of Conflict

 

On Tuesday, March 29, 2022, the community in Sedie Jadi Village, Bukit District, Bener Meriah Regency together with the Commission for Disappeared Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) Aceh held a National Gathering, by bringing together parties affected by the Aceh conflict 20 years ago, taking place in the yard of the local village office.

This activity was also inaugurated by the Bener Meriah Government. Also present were the ranks of the Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkopimda) of the local district, Member of Commission I DPRA Bardan Sahidi, Deputy Chairman of DPRK Bener Meriah Tgk Husnul Ilmy, Chair of the Aceh KKR Masthur Yahya, Sri Waluyo from the Aceh Education Office, a number of Heads of SKPK, Camat Bukit and other elements Forkopimcam, all Sedie Jadi Village officials and community representatives from every village in Bukit District.

This ceremonial event which was attended by hundreds of people became the culmination of a long process that has been taken for the last 2.5 years. Since 2019, KontraS Aceh has carried out a series of approaches with communities from three villages in Bener Meriah, namely Pilar Jaya Village and Sedie Jadi Village in Bukit District, and Makmur Sentosa Village in Bandar District.

Sedie Jadi Village is one of a number of villages affected by the Aceh conflict, between the Free Aceh Movement guerrillas and the Indonesian Government. In Gayo, the conflict has spread to become a horizontal clash between people. Last June 2001, the conflict resulted in loss of life and material loss to the community in Sedie Jadi.

Although the Aceh conflict officially ended since the signing of the peace agreement in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of Indonesia and GAM on August 15, 2005, it took a long time to restore social relations between communities that had been plagued by divisions, especially in Gayo.

Over time, the social situation in Bener Meriah gradually recovered. However, efforts to fulfill the rights of conflict survivors must remain the main concern. In addition to revealing the truth about what happened in the past, further reconciliation needs to be established between the parties who have been involved in the conflict. This is done solely to learn about the importance of maintaining peace, restoring the social situation in a harmonious society as before, and preventing similar things from happening again in the future.

In an effort to explore reconciliation, first a meeting was held at the village community level. This meeting was to gather information about the situation of the residents both during the conflict and after the peace, especially about the impacts they experienced.

The events in Sedie Jadi (better known as the Kresek Incident) were revealed through a series of meetings. The incident 21 years ago, according to residents' information, involved combatants. Since then, the approach to both parties – former combatants and community representatives – has intensified. In this case, a relationship was established between former combatants represented by Fauzan Azima, and Suterisno as the representative of the people of Sedie Jadi Village.

Departing from the awareness of the importance of re-establishing friendship, the parties agreed to sit down together, express support for strengthening peace and caring for it for learning for posterity, that the current peaceful situation is very expensive and it is important to maintain it at all times.

So Learning from the Past

The coordinator of KontraS Aceh, Hendra Saputra, said that this national gathering was a follow-up to the agreement in July 2006 entitled Pledge of Musara Pakat Redelong. If at that time peace occurred between the GAM elite and PETA, today the same thing is applied at the community level.

"This is an opportunity for us to re-knit social cohesion, especially for those of us whose kinship ties have been severed, perhaps because of our individual doubts some time ago, so today let's get rid of it," said Hendra.

Hendra also stated that this relationship was possible thanks to the generosity of both parties (Fauzan Azima and Suterisno) who were willing to sit down together and forgive each other for what happened in the past.

"Without both, this event would not be possible. These two important figures have carved out a history of strengthening Aceh's peace, especially in Gayo," said Hendra.

Suterisno, representing the residents of Sedie Jadi, in his speech thanked Fauzan Azima, for the common intention that emerged to take this path of friendship. The Kresek incident made a deep impression on the minds of all the elders of Sedie Jadi Village. Therefore, the national gathering held today is an important moment in the history of peace in Gayo.

"Let's remember the events of 21 years ago with hope, hopefully something like this will not happen again. We have to agree, agree, and agree that the disputes in the past must be ended immediately by making peace, forgiving each other,” said Suterisno.

"What happened today is proof that forgiveness can be realized. Sedie So becomes an area that can be used as an example, we can prove that this relationship can be well established," he concluded.

Meanwhile, former combatant figure Fauzan Azima said that peace in Aceh, especially Tanoh Gayo, must always be maintained. Peace is what awakens all parties from adversity situations such as those experienced in the past.

“We, the parties to the conflict, should be aware of this. Do not let conflicts arise, not only between political elites, all potentials that will trigger violence must be resolved immediately, he said.

He hopes that the peace that exists between all people in Gayo is like the roots that strengthen the trunk of a tree. "So that no wind of hatred and vengeance can tear it down."

Fauzan said that the potential for conflict often recurs in a number of places, although at different times. He mentioned several places, such as Bur Lintang, Uyem Pepongoten, Cot Panglima, Wih Kanis, Wih Konyel, Tajuk Enan-Enang and several other locations that were silent witnesses of the endless war. Both during the Dutch colonial period, continued to the DI/TII incident, the PKI incident, to the last conflict between GAM and the Indonesian Government.

"So we hope that with the momentum of this gathering, these places will not be repeated as new places of violence," he said hopefully.

“To strengthen this peace, we must be willing to sit on the floor to reformulate our fellow human beings. Stand tall to see the past and determine in the future so that peace will always last in our Gayo land,” he stressed.

At the end of his speech, Fauzan apologized to all residents of Sedie Jadi for the events that occurred 21 years ago. "To all the people of Sedie So, starting today, I hope to accept me as a brother, like a brother like my father and mother," said Fauzan, to applause and emotion from the audience.

In his remarks, Assistant II for the Economy and Development of the Bener Meriah Regional Secretariat, drh. Sofyan said this gathering was very appropriate, especially welcoming the holy month of Ramadan, which was only a matter of days away.

"This national gathering is important in order to break the chain of violence caused by past conflicts in Bener Meriah, and Aceh in general," said Sofyan.

According to him, the effort to knit social cohesion between the parties who used to be involved in this conflict is a very noble thing. It is time to resolve misunderstandings caused by conflicts in the past.

The Bener Meriah Regency Government, he continued, in this case represents the state, wants to show its responsibility to ensure the social conditions of the community. Moreover, this meeting is a continuation of the agreement that was made in 2006, namely the Pledge of Musara Pakat Redelong between the leaders of PETA and GAM at that time.

He admitted that he was touched by the remarks delivered by Fauzan Azima (former combatant) and Suterisno (representative of Sedie Jadi residents). Citing statements from both parties, it is time for the people of Bener Meriah to look to the future in peace, and no longer look back.

"Let's move forward, strive for economic improvement, let's strengthen our cohesiveness, strengthen brotherhood, especially since this is one of the best moments to welcome the holy month of Ramadan, so we are encouraged to apologize," Sofyan hoped.

Before the joint feast, both parties (Fauzan Azima and Suterisno) underwent a process of plain flour facilitated by the board of the Gayo Traditional Council. In the process, the two of them shook hands and hugged each other, and made a vow together. This event became the culmination of a series of national gathering activities in Sedie Jadi, and was interspersed with the distribution of compensation for a number of orphans. []

CP: Hendra Saputra (KontraS Aceh Coordinator), 0811 3362 235

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