Ubud is for Lovers

Bali is an interesting place for many reasons.  The island has a vibrant culture, delicious food, great music, and the list simply goes on and on.  I arrived in Bali on Monday morning, with my destination being Ubud; a town which lies about an hour away from Denpasar (where the airport is).  Last year, I went to Kuta, another area, for four days with my cousin.  However, Kuta and Ubud are nothing alike.  Kuta is Bali's party and tourist central; it has a beautiful, busy beach, and the nightlife is absolutely exceptional.  In going to Kuta, one will experience all of the typical touristy things that are expected of island/resort destinations. 
This is my first time in Ubud, and I mean really in Ubud.  Last year, we did visit GWK (a park dedicated to the Hindu god Krishna) and when I was little I experienced the joys and terror of the Holy Monkey Forest, but I never thought I would feel about it the way I do now.
Ubud is actually much cooler (both literally and figuratively) than Kuta, as it lies at a higher elevation above sea level.  It is also the heart of music and art in Bali; truly a cultural center for the island.  Tons of artsy and creative things go on here, like art expos and Balinese music and dance shows.  It gives off a completely different vibe than happy-go-lucky Kuta, and actually feels cooler and hipper.  This is where all of the visual artists and musicians are; the people who have a true sense of what their art is (and they take it very seriously). 
My main purpose for being here is to do some volunteering with a local NGO called the IDEP Foundation, a grassroots sustainable development organization that focuses on permaculture, creating a healthy and sustainable environment, and disaster management.  Since I have no earthly clue about anything to do with the environment, let alone permaculture, I'm helping out where I am the most useful - in translating documents from Bahasa Indonesia to English.  The best thing about this is that I can do it pretty much anywhere from my laptop.  It's nice, because whereas it is office work (which I normally despise), I'm doing it in a much more relaxed setting and I'm not stuck behind a desk in a stuffy building for hours.   
I'm looking forward to spending more time here and getting to know the people who work at IDEP.  They all seem really nice, and I'm excited to have the opportunity to do some work with an NGO like this.
Initially, I was staying with Petra, who started the organization.  She has a beautiful home; when I arrived there, I thought that I was walking into a Hindu garden of the gods.  However, her home is a bit full at the moment and she doesn't have an extra bedroom available, so IDEP hooked me up with a hotel room in town and a motorbike for transportation.  I feel like I hit the jackpot here - I'm so lucky!  Alhamdulillah :)

For more information about the IDEP Foundation, visit http://www.idepfoundation.org

Strategy, Ideology, and Suicide Bombs

This past Saturday, I left Aceh and am now at a relative's home in Jakarta for the time being.  After the interview that I had with Al Chaidar, he told me that he had some contacts in Jemmah Islamiyah who would possibly let me interview them.  When I arrived in Jakarta, I got a hold of Al Chaidar again to try and make this go through, and he gave me the number of this one man named Mr. Asep.  So, I called him up to see if we could arrange to do an interview, and we ended up meeting today at a traditional style restaurant/cafe in the central Jakarta district. I arrived a little bit early and got a table, and as I waited for him to come, I couldn't help but wonder more about him.  Who is he?  How did he get involved with JI?  The concern that he would be as unhelpful as Mr. Attahiri also crossed my mind as I began thinking of ways I could elicit more information from him in the event that he didn't give me what I wanted.  I was really unsure of what to expect beforehand - what did he look like?  Did he have a beard?  Wear traditional Muslim attire?  Or was he just a run-of-the-mill, average looking fellow?  As reality would have it, when he arrived, he resembled the latter in his jeans and sandals.

After ordering our drinks and starting off with the standard, polite conversation about family, school, etc., we eased into a far more interesting conversation.  Asep began by telling me how he got involved with this organization.  His family are actually Darul Islam members, and he himself is a Darul Islam activist.  He started becoming more heavily involved in high school, but his family were the main influences for him to join in the first place.  When he got older, he did military and combat training in Moro, where many participants ended up fighting in Afghanistan.  Asep did not go to Afghanistan, but instead went to college to study how to become an electrician.  He also emphasized that he wasn't a Jemmah Islamiyah member, but Darul Islam.  However, he did say that he helped JI out whenever he could, in terms of logistics, surveying, and getting information for them. 

I asked him about the ideologies of Jemmah Islamiyah - the fatwa they follow, and in general why they do what they do.  Asep used the Bali blasts as an example in his response.  He said that it's no secret that Indonesia is a Muslim country, and that in Bali, a lot of westerners come and think that they can act however they do in their own countries, and even the Balinese start to take on their habits and customs.

"This behavior is inappropriate...even when you go to the American embassy, if you're wearing jeans and flip flops they will ask you to leave...foreigners need to respect that we are a Muslim country and conduct themselves with proper etiquette when they are here...the Bali blasts were to serve as a reminder to the world what we are and to not act inappropriately in Indonesia."

Their enemies, he told me, are not  just western nations.  Jemmah Islamiyah is also at war with the Indonesian government because they see it as a tool of the west - he used the term "hand and foot".  Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), although he is a Muslim, is JI's enemy because he is aiding the west in their "war against Islam".

"When the Dutch occupied Indonesia, everyone hated them.  But Indonesians didn't just hate the Dutch, they also hated those who helped the Dutch.  This is like that."

I asked him about the bombings - Bali, the Marriott, and then the Ritz-Carlton/Marriott twin bombings.  Were those final alternatives?  What were the motivations behind them?  Well, apparently there are a lot of motivations to set off bombs - it's the only way the enemy will listen.

So how do they decide who to bomb, and when?  They do their research beforehand.  They have to survey before acting, and in the meantime, they gain access to whatever building(s) they target.  Posing as cleaning service, security, etc., they find out more about their location:  who goes there, what they do, and whether or not they pose a threat.  They know all the clubs, hotels, and apartments and survey their targets for at least 3 months, their longest surveying period being 7 months. If they feel that the place is a breeding ground for enemies of Islam, they may deem it appropriate to bomb.  They look at the places that a lot of foreigners frequent, but this isn't to say that they'll bomb any old hotel that a lot of white tourists happen to be at.  But for instance they find out that someone from the CIA or other government intelligence is staying there or using that spot, it could be a likely candidate for destruction.  According to Asep, they get to know the foreigners and conduct in-depth interviews on them without them even knowing it. 

And then, of course, who does it?  Who are the people that actually carry out the missions?  Well, they have a team of people who do this work for them.  Surveyors, logistics, and of course, the bombers; a group of seemingly limitless volunteers who answer the request JI sends out for people to carry the deed out.  However, they don't use the term suicide bomb; suicide is forbidden in Islam.  The volunteers go through a rigorous screening process in order for planners and officials to know who wants to do it for the right reasons.  They are interviewed and watched, and if it seems that they've lost hope in their lives and want to end it by detonating a bomb on themselves, JI officials won't allow them to carry through.  They actually don't use the term "suicide bomb"; instead, they say "bom sahid", which translates to "martyrdom bomb".  Because this is done for the "right" reasons (fighting the "enemies" of Islam), they will be rewarded in the afterlife.  Asep never mentioned the infamous 40 virgins story, but instead told me that martyrs will possibly be able to spare 70 loved ones from hell; their family, friends, and whoever else they feel should escape the wrath of Hades (er, Satan).  Asep mentioned that there was some type of law in the Qur'an that justifies this, but he didn't specify where.  He did say though, that bom sahid were a way to give people motivation to strengthen Islam so that they can destroy Islam's enemies.

What about now?  It may have been a little forward and pretentious of me to have vocalized this, but I asked him who JI plans to target now.  He chuckled and said that he had no clue, but knows that they are in the stages of surveying; apparently they've already rejected 10 potential locations.  It may be months before they strike again, but who knows?  Asep said that since he's not an actual member of Jemmah Islamiyah that they don't entrust him with all their information.  However, they trust him enough to let him in on some stuff, and since Darul Islam gives JI a lot of protection, they are on pretty good terms to say the least. They have very similar ideologies although they may disagree on things such as tactics and strategy.

"They're a bit too ambitious; their target is too big...What Jemmah Islamiyah needs to do is focus on fighting the enemy one at a time, on a smaller level.  If they're going the rate that they are with these big goals, they could fail.  But if they joined with us [Darul Islam], we could succeed.  The trick is to start small and then expand...Islam has a lot of enemies, we can't take them all at once."

As of now, there are more or less 10,000 Jemmah Islamiyah members in Indonesia, and as they are actively recruiting, that number is growing.  JI has had some influence on a number of pesantren in Indonesia, although that number is quite small compared to the vast majority of pesantren which produce decent, law abiding citizens.  They tend to have more of an impact among young, college-aged individuals and from doing dawa and giving speeches in local mosques. 

Things are far from over for Jemmah Islamiyah.  Although at times they may keep quiet, they are most certainly active and conducting their activities.  From what I gathered from Asep, JI is a force to be reckoned with, and they have the potential to be even stronger if they joined forces completely with Darul Islam.

Sabang - Aceh's Slice of Paradise

Yesterday morning I took a ferry over to the island of Sabang, which is also referred to as Pulau Weh.  I was recommended this hotel/resort destination called Freddie's Santai Sumur by a friend of mine at IAIN. 
There are two ferries that go to and from Sabang - the express (which I took, and was only 45 minutes), and the big slow boat (takes an hour and a half).

The resort was AMAZING, and very affordable at only $25 per night.  And since I was only staying for one night, even better!  The rooms are actually individual bungalows, complete with a mini fridge and complimentary drinks, western toilet, and hot shower.  This was my first hot shower in 7 weeks, and I enjoyed every single minute of it.

The first thing I did when I got there (after basking in the luxurious delight of my bungalow) was go snorkeling.  As a matter of fact, that was pretty much all I did - snorkeling, swimming, and basking in the sun.  This was only my second time snorkeling, and it was great.  There were so many fish and some beautiful coral.  I recognized a lot of the fish I saw from the movie Finding Nemo, and I also saw Rainbow Fish :)

I had such a relaxing day - I just wish that I could have stayed longer.  But as it turns out, I need to pick up my passport from the Immigration Office here in Banda by 3.00pm this afternoon, and the only two ferries that leave Sabang are at 8.00 am and 4.30 pm.  But I'm glad I got to spend at least one day relaxing and simply enjoying myself with no worries. 

The view from my bungalow

Sunset on the beach

Sunrise

 

Beach Trip

On Sunday, Sarah invited me to go along with her and a group of people on another jungle hike and then the beach.  There were six of us total: me, Sarah, Self (an Australian guy who works at ARTI), Ken, Jesse (male), and Jesse (female).  All of us (excluding Self) are American, and they're all doing their own cool things here in Aceh.  They were all very nice, and we had a really good time.
The trail we took in the forest was about an hour long, and it was tough!  Not as tough as the 8 hour GAM hike, but still...pretty challenging.  My legs are still sore from that trip!  At the end of the trail we finally stopped at another secret beach; a different one than where Sarah had taken me the first time.  It was beautiful secluded; it was like we were at our own private resort.
We played in the ocean, and the boys made a small hut out of pieces of wood lying around and tied sarongs to it so that there would be shade.  It was super cool, like they were practicing to be on Survivor or another type of wilderness challenge reality show.  Self had brought along a fish, watermelon, and pineapple...all of which he had stored conveniently in his backpack.  He started a campfire and cooked the fish as well as noodles so we could all have lunch.  It was very impressive.  How he managed to fit all that stuff in his backpack is beyond me.  At least I'll know who to contact if I'm ever stranded on a desert island.
We stayed there all day and didn't get back until the evening.  It was such a fun day, I'm glad to have had this experience with them.
I'm also glad that I was able to meet some other westerners close to my age around here.  I was the baby of the group - they're all in their mid 20s, but we were still all close enough that we could have fun with each other and not be awkward.  Of course, I've also made tons of wonderful Indonesian friends, but nevertheless, it's nice to have a few people around who understand the culture you're coming from and with whom you're able to connect with on that level.  It's like having a little piece of home right there with you, and makes being far away not that big of a deal.

A view of the beach

One last hill before paradise!

 Eating lunch

The fish they cooked - complete with portable grill

Yummy

Our hut.  Charming, isn't it?

A Rebellious Jungle Hike

Yesterday, I went on a jungle hike with three ex-GAM (Free Aceh Movement) rebels.  These guys spent two years in the jungle fighting against the Indonesian army, it's really incredible.  The company that I took this tour on is called Aceh Explorer, and it's run by a Dutch guy named Mendel who wanted to employ former GAM combatants.  Apparently, it's difficult for them to find work now, so he wanted to give them an opportunity to earn some money.
I left the asrama at 9 am, and we finally began the hike at around 10.  The mountain was absolutely beautiful - I was completely captivated by the scenery.  We walked down a bridge, at which the end turned into a narrow trail leading into the jungle.  The first thing I saw was an old ulammah's grave, where the GAM combatants used to pray.  As we went further up, the trail began to get harder and more treacherous.  My guides had to help me from falling multiple times, holding my hand, and placing my feet correctly on the rocks so that I wouldn't slip.  The first hour flew by, and before I knew it, we were stopping for lunch.  During our break, the guides and I talked a lot - about everything.  They asked me about how it was living in America, if I liked Aceh, etc.  And I also asked them a lot of questions about GAM, carefully wording my questions.
They told me that the reason they joined in the first place was because they felt that the Indonesian government was unfair to Aceh.

"Aceh is very rich in natural resources, but we weren't seeing any of the profit.  It was all being taken by the Indonesian government, and that wasn't fair.  If Aceh was independent, we all would be rich."

 They also told me that if their old GAM commanders asked them to pick up arms again, that they would.

After lunch, we went further up the mountain to the very top.  I definitely underestimated the mountain - I have never been on such a difficult hike before!  There were parts where I couldn't walk, but had to climb on rocks to get to the next spot.  Thorny plants clung to my clothes and cut my legs, and when it started to rain, I began to slip in the mud.

Before we reached the top of the mountain, my guides showed me their old GAM base.  I expected a fort of some kind, but all I saw were boulders!  We also saw an old cooking site they had - the only things remaining were a rusty pot, lantern, and cup.  It's so unbelievable to me that these guys spent 2-3 years living in the jungle like this, completely secluded from the outside world.  They went up and down that mountain in the dark, with no sources of light whatsoever - absolutely amazing.  Since the tsunami didn't reach all the way up the mountain, the GAM combatants never knew that it happened.  They said that afterward, when they looked down on the villages below, that they thought those villages had been bombed by TNI (Indonesian army); the only reason they knew it was a natural disaster was because they saw a lot of foreign helicopters coming in.

When we finally reached the puncak, or top of the mountain, I felt so ecstatic.  The rocks up there were extremely sharp and jagged, and it was very difficult to get up, but I'm glad that I finally made it.  The trip back down, however, was equally as difficult.  Since it started to rain some, the path was pretty dangerous and I needed all the help I could get from my guides, who were absolutely wonderful.  "Just keep smiling," they said.  "Your smile gives us the motivation to go on!"  I slipped and fell so many times, but they kept on catching me.  The last slope we took to go down was ridiculous.  It didn't slant, but went straight down.  I was pretty terrified.  I grabbed hold of one guide's backpack and followed his lead, while the guides behind me held on to my backpack to catch me just in case I fell.

By the time the hike ended, it was already almost 6.30.  When I finished, I was filthy, soaking wet, and half dead.  I don't think I've ever been happier to see a road in my entire life.  I can't believe I spent over 8 hours hiking in the jungle!  The scrapes and pain were all worth it though, and I had an incredible experience.  My guides were absolutely amazing - I couldn't imagine doing what they did during the conflict.  If I hiked that mountain by myself, I doubt that I would have come back down in one piece.

Before the hike

Fresh water source, GAM used to collect their water from here

You can tell I wasn't tired yet because my camera radar was still functioning

The view from the top!Grave of an ulammah who was killed by the Dutch.  GAM used to pray at this site.

Old GAM living/eating quarters, complete with rusty pot and lantern.  There was a cup off to the side that I didn't catch in this picture.

At the top of the mountain!!!  Balancing precariously on a tree limb with sharp, jagged rocks beneath me.

AFTER the hike.  You can't really tell, but my backpack is filthy.  Level of exhaustion:  100%

A view of the mountain I conquered!

Pesantren Interview - Denying Jemmah Islamiyah

On Friday I had my last interview in Lhoksemawe with Muslim Attahiri, the head of Dayah Darul Mujahidin.  I'm still trying to process how this all went, but one thing's for sure - it wasn't as good as the interview I had with Al Chaidar.

When I got to the pesantren, I was instantly able to meet with Attahiri despite my lack of appointment.  He invited me into his house, where we sat in his living room to do the interview.  Maybe ten minutes into the conversation, I got sick.  I was a hot mess.  I think it was the fish curry I ate for lunch.  I got sick twice during our talk.  It was extremely embarrassing.  That might have set the mood for the rest of the interview, as I was clearly not feeling well and not on top of my game.  After my second wave of sickness finished, Attahiri had to leave - he had a class to teach.  He told me not to worry, that I could stay in his home until he came back, and introduced me to his wife.  "You can interview her," he told me. 
Talking with his wife was pretty interesting.  She told me a lot about the pesantren - she's in charge of the girls' division.  She seemed tired though, and said that she was up all night tending to a "sick" girl who was apparently possessed.  She told me that three girls have gotten possessed there within the past week and that they had to control them and make sure they didn't hurt themselves.  We heard screaming and the sound of someone hitting a tin wall outside, and I was told that the noises I heard were of one of the possessed girls. She told me

"When you're close to God, the devil likes to try and torment you.  When you're weak in faith, that's when they enter."

 Apparently this kind of thing happens fairly often, so they weren't too worried about handling the situation.
There are about 60 boys and 15 girls at the pesantren.  It's a small place, and not very well developed or nice like the other ones I went to.  They rely on donations and tend to take in boys and girls from broken homes, whose parents have passed away, or who are troublemakers.  The age range of the kids there are from middle school to some college. 
When Attahiri finally came back, I began to ask him more questions about the pesantren, their religious views, and what distinguished them from other pesantren, both modern and traditional.  These questions, I felt, were pretty standard and could get interesting answers.  But when Attahiri answered them, I felt that he wasn't really answering them at all - I couldn't get anything straight from him.  So you can imagine that when I asked more questions about Jemmah Islamiyah and FPI (Islamic Defenders Front), it got a little confusing.

Back in February, some Jemmah Islamiyah members came to Aceh to try and establish a training camp here and went to Attahiri's pesantren to ask for his support.  However, they were turned down.  Attahiri said that when they came, he saw them as "stupid kids" and made it clear that he disagreed with their method of thinking.

I had also heard that he had been affiliated with FPI, which I had seen listed as a terrorist organization.  Attahiri told me that he was the secretary for the Aceh division of this organization, and that it in fact is not a terrorist organization.  He said that they concentrate on dawa and try to make sure that people are being good Muslims and acting appropriately.  I asked my friend Cut later about FPI, and she confirmed what Attahiri said about it not being a terrorist organization, so it seems that I was wrong in thinking that it was.

I wish I could have stayed longer at Darul Mujahidin.  I feel that if I had gotten to know them better over a longer period of time, that I would have better results in my interview.  Cut even told me that once, when she was interviewing someone, it took 7 interviews over a span of 3 months to finally break through and get good information.  I got a lot of political answers from Attahiri.  I wonder how long I would have had to stay to break down the barrier and get better results.  

After the interview, something weird happened:  Attahiri took a couple of pictures of me on his cell phone...but without asking.  It's pretty obvious when someone takes a picture of you on their cell phone, especially when it's done right in front of you.  Plus, I heard the camera click.  Also, after I had gotten out of his house, I was taking pictures of the pesantren and I saw him standing in front of his door, cell phone in hand, taking a picture.  I wasn't sure how to handle this, so I didn't say anything at all.  Cut told me that it was nothing to worry about, so I guess I won't worry about it - but it was still weird.

The pesantren

Terrorism Interview - A Look Into Jemmah Islamiyah

I am currently in Lhoksemawe, about 6 hours away from Banda Aceh.  I left yesterday morning on an L300 - basically, a minivan that people hire out to take them places.  It works like a bus would, with a ticket and everything.  I was thinking about hiring a car, but that would be way too expensive.  The L300 was only about $6.  The driver was an angry looking fellow named Akbar who had a strong taste for Nuu Milds and would honk at things for no apparent reason.  We did stop for lunch, and during that hour, I got to chat with a high school girl who was another passenger on the L300.  She wasn't wearing a jilbab and was wearing short sleeves, and I asked her why.  She evaded the question by talking how good Sharia law is, but finally let me know that since she was traveling and it was hot that it wasn't such a big deal.  I learned an important cultural lesson from her though - to always give and accept with your right hand.  I felt stupid, because this was something that I had always known but often forgot.  I paid the lady at the warung with my left hand without even thinking, and the girl told me not to do that.  "That's very rude!" she said.  Needless to say, I was very embarrassed and have been good about remembering to do exchanges with my right hand since yesterday.  I don't think it will be something that slips my mind again, either.

Rahma, who is one of the researchers at ARTI that was on Jesse's team that interviewed the pesantren, gave me the contact details of a friend of hers who lives here - Cut.  So I don't have to pay for a hotel either, thank God.  Cut is a very nice lady.  She's pretty, young, and extremely forward in her thinking.  She is currently a professor here in Lhoksemawe and used to do research for ARTI.  I am very grateful that she is letting me stay in her home for a few days.  We've arranged for her nephew Noval, an endearingly awkward 14 year old, to help take me around to wherever I need to be.  I'll be paying him about Rp.200,000 (about $20) for renting him out.  Glad it's vacation time for high school students.

Today I scheduled my interview with Pak Al Chaidar to be at 2.00.  In the morning, Noval took me around Lhoksemawe and we saw the beach.  Lhoksemawe isn't too different from Banda Aceh, the only major differences are that it's smaller, and instead of cows crowding the streets it's goats.  When we were coming back from the beach, we had to take a pretty hefty detour into the kampung because we saw that they were having razia operations on the street that we needed to go down.  Not to worry, I was dressed completely appropriately, but wasn't wearing a helmet.  It was nice going through the kampung though, despite the super rocky dirt roads (I almost fell off the motorcycle).  The scenery was beautiful - palm trees and rice paddies as far as the eye could see.

My interview with Pak Al Chaidar later was very interesting.  He is a fascinating man.  He has been following Jemmah Islamiyah since 1991 - before they became a terrorist organizations and were still a Darul Islam group.  He's seen how they train, understands their ideologies, and still keeps in contact with them.  He's been able to do very extensive interviews and research on them, it's crazy.  He obviously does not agree with them whatsoever, but has very thorough research on them.  He knows how they operate, to say the least.  I mentioned reading a couple of articles that say that since Jemmah Islamiyah has factioned off into 2 groups - one that wants to commit acts of terrorism, the other that just wants to do dawa - that they aren't a big threat anymore.  I asked Al Chaidar his opinion on this, and he disagrees.  He seems to think that they do remain a very big threat.  He said that despite factioning off, if the leaders say to do something (like set off a bomb), they will follow their leader's orders.

I then asked him about the strategies of Jemmah Islamiyah.  I learned that terrorist organizations are very strategic in their actions, and that they won't bomb a building "just because".  There will always be some kind of political motivation behind it.  I found his response on this to be pretty funny.  He said that those in JI "aren't very smart", and lack an intelligence division.  "They are still naive".  He also mentioned that those who join JI come from modest economic backgrounds, and are at the wealthiest, middle class.  This is very interesting to me, since I learned that in terrorist organizations, participants tend to be wealthy and highly educated.  However, in Jemmah Islamiyah's case, this doesn't seem to hold up.

When I asked him why terrorism can exist in Java (where much of JI is based) but not in Aceh, he said that it was a cultural difference.

"There are cultural differences in Aceh and Java...the character of Aceh is unique.  The Acehnese are very proud people, egalitarian, somewhat xenophobic, and don't like to take orders from anybody else.  It was the Acehnese who brought Islam to Java, so when Javanese came to Aceh and tried to recruit people into Jemmah Islamiyah, it wasn't accepted.  People thought of them as 'those stupid Arab people'..Islam in Aceh is very different from that in Java.  In Java, there are strong geneological and family ties that people are loyal to.  In Aceh, people are more critical and don't just act upon something that an ulammah says to do."

  He made an amusing comparison of these two cultures, saying:

"Islam in Java is like a Molotov cocktail; it's easy to set off and very explosive.  Islam in Aceh is more like a petroleum bomb; there is a very long process it has to go through before it can explode."

Jemmah Islamiyah had been in Aceh since 2005, doing charity work to help tsunami victims.  But from 2005-2009, they were only able to recruit 20 people.  I think that this is incredible data, especially considering how easily they were able to recruit in Java.  But 20 members in 4 years?  Wow.  I love this, because it just goes to further show how the vast majority of Muslims do not condone terrorism.  They thought that because Aceh operates under Sharia law that the people would be sympathetic to them and want to join arms with them.  What they didn't prepare for was assimilating into Acehnese society and becoming people that the Acehnese could easily trust.  Al Chaidar said that their biggest downfall was appearing so foreign, with their long beards and Javanese customs.  The Acehnese simply refused to accept it.  

After the interview, Al Chaidar said that he may be able to get me in touch with current Jemmah Islamiyah members in Jakarta.  I would love to take this opportunity if they agree to see me.  He said that it might be interesting to talk with the wives of these fellows, and I agree.  He isn't able to because of the fact that he is a man, but because of our gender, he thinks that I might be able to learn some interesting information from them.  Hopefully it goes through, this would be an incredible opportunity.  Al Chaidar said that it would be completely safe and that there would be nothing to worry about.  Since I am Muslim and half Indonesian, he said that they would be fine with the fact that I am also an American.  He just advised me not to badtalk Osama bin Laden in front of them.

I will be going to Pesantren Darul Mujahiddin tomorrow after jumatan (Friday prayers).  Al Chaidar said that it's no problem that I'm going without an appointment and that the Acehnese are very gracious and accepting of guests.  I was able to record our interview today, so that will definitely be something interesting to listen over later.  I probably won't be posting it because it was about an hour and a half long, but I'm glad to have had this opportunity to talk with him.  It was a great interview, he really didn't hold anything back.

Winding down

This week has been the first down week I've had since I've gotten here.  I didn't really do that much at all, so it was pretty restful. 
I was able to meet with Pak Marzi Afriko this week at the World Bank, and he gave me a lot of interesting information about my research topic as well as people to get in contact with.

One really cool thing - my friend Muhajjir knows a guy who collects old Islamic manuscripts, and he invited me over to his house to take a look at them.  Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my camera, but it was interesting looking at all of them!  The collector, Pak Tarmizi, has been collecting these manuscripts since 1994.  They're all Acehnese, Qur'ans, books, all types of things.  The best thing about visiting Tarmizi was that unlike other collectors, who don't let people touch the documents etc., he actually let me hold them and flip through the pages!  It was a very special experience.  

Next week,  I should be going to Lhokseumawe to visit with Pak Al Chaidar, another guy I met at the ARTI book launching last weekend.  He specializes in terrorism studies, so he should be especially interesting to speak with.  Afterwords, I have plans to visit a pesantren in that area - Pesantren Darul Mujahidin.  It's headed by a man named Pak Muslim Atthahiri, and it has been associated with the terrorist group FPI (Islamic Defenders Front, Front Pembela Islam).  Apparently, Jemmah Islamiyah also tried to associate with them, but they were rejected by the pesantren.  It will be interesting to find out why they didn't want to associate with JI, and what their current relationship with FPI is.

I really hope this goes through - I'm very excited to go, and it would be so disappointing if I didn't get to visit them.  I guess it's a good thing that this has been slow, especially considering that next week should be full of activities!

I've also gotten closer to the girls at the asrama.  I know I've said this before, but they really are freaking hilarious.  And because they've gotten to know me better, I think they feel more comfortable and open with me than they did initially.  I was hanging out with a couple of them after maghrib prayers one night, and the discussion turned to boys, and boyfriends.  I had asked them a couple weeks before if they had boyfriends (jokingly), and of course they giggled and said "of course not!".  This time though, they were telling me that yes, they have had boyfriends.  One of them was so funny - she said that she's had five before, and is currently in a relationship with two.  She said, "It is cheating, but it's only pacaran* and not marriage, so it's okay!"  I thought that was too funny.  They really cracked me up.

Last night, the power went off, so a group of us sat together in one of the girls' rooms around a candle.  We were able to talk history and politics.  Yesterday, the founder of the separatist rebel movement GAM (Free Aceh Movement) passed away, and there was a huge ceremony at Mesjid Raya.  We had a really interesting talk about that, because a couple of the girls went to the ceremony.  One girl, Lisa, said that Aceh was crying for him because of the sun shower that took place after he was buried.  There was also a minor earthquake.
This is the link on BBC about his passing - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_pacific/10225928.stm

Maybe I can ask some of the girls questions about my research topic, as it does focus on Acehnese society.  I'm sure that they'd have a lot of interesting things to say about it.

*pacaran - The term used for dating, or having a boyfriend/girlfriend.

Secret Beaches

The past few days have gone really well.  I love my English conversation groups at IAIN and Al-Kafi - they're all such great people, and so enthusiastic about practicing their English!  I'm enjoying getting to know them all better, as they're all very interesting and have a lot to say.

Ibu Eka asked me to give a little presentation about Islam in the United States for her Sociology of Religion class, which I was more than happy to do.  It wasn't anything big, I just talked about how Islam is practiced in the United States, cultural differences, etc. (in Indonesian, of course).  I'm happy to report that it went very well, and that there was a lot of discussion afterward.  Her class had a lot of interesting questions, and the discussions that we had were really good.  The best part about this was at the end, when one of the students raised his hand to speak.  He thanked me for doing the presentation and said that he was glad that I came, because before he didn't feel very positively towards Americans.  However, after our discussions and having had interacted with me, he said that he had changed his mind and didn't feel that way anymore.  I felt excited to hear that, because however kind and hospitable residents of another country may be towards Americans, they still may have a lot of negative stereotypes about us.  It's times like these when I thank God that I speak fluent Bahasa Indonesia, because without this skill I don't think that I'd be able to communicate and interact with people on a deeper level.

On Saturday, the girls at the asrama all woke up early to do what they called "guteroy", which is basically yard work.  Once a month, they all get up early on the weekend and weed the garden, sweep, etc.  I joined in and helped out where I could, and I felt that the girls were all kind of surprised to see me up and out doing chores with them.  One told me that she was very happy to see me, another didn't even bother to mask her surprise and said "Oh, you're doing guteroy too?!", and the head of the asrama even said that I could go back inside if I wanted.  We were only outside for an hour and a half, if that, and it wasn't even back breaking labor that required muscles and loud machines.  It was an easy task, and even someone who had never gardened or done chores in their entire life would have been able to do it well.  But I think instances like that are good to have, just to send the message that I'm not just a foreigner staying in their dorm, but that I'm also their peer and friend.

I'm trying hard every day to be positive, friendly, and culturally sensitive.  Sometimes it's a little trying, because after a long, hot, exhausting day, the last thing I want to do is make small talk, smile, and be pleasant and engaging.  But if I just hang in there for a little while longer, my patience always pays off and people won't see me in a negative light.  It's also so much different being in Aceh than it is being in Jakarta; they're like two completely different countries, united only by language.  It's even crazier to think about how different the U.S. is compared to Aceh.  Despite this, I feel like I've adjusted extremely well and fit in with most of the people here.  I'm having fun, making friends, and being as productive as I can.  Well, maybe I could be a little more productive, but I'm trying my best! :)

On Sunday, I went to the beach with my friend Sarah, who teaches English at Syiah Kuala University.  It was maybe about 30 minutes from Darussalam, and was absolutely breathtaking.  The beaches here are pristine and simply gorgeous.  We didn't go to the main beach in that area, but instead hiked for about ten minutes through the jungle and finally came to a beautiful, secluded beach.  And by secluded, I mean that nobody else was there.  That was a lot of fun, and I didn't feel self conscious swimming and being goofy because it was just the two of us.  

 

The trail we hiked through

                          Overlooking the beach!

                                                    Gorgeous!!

                                            The water was PERFECT.

                                                       The jungle!

This week should be good, too.  Tomorrow I'm going to do an interview with Pak Marzi Afriko, who works at the World Bank and has published papers about Sharia in Aceh, why pesantrens don't accept terrorism, etc.  Next week I will be going to Lhoksmawe to meet with another contact, Pak Al Chaidar and do an interview with him.
I'm really excited about doing these interviews.  The most experience I've had doing research has been greatly facilitated by Wikipedia, and I'm ecstatic about having the opportunity to do some actual qualitative research.  Hope it goes well and that I'll be getting some good information!

Morning with the Sharia Police

Today was especially exciting.  Jeff, who was one of the Yale students that I met this weekend, invited me to go with him to interview the Sharia Police (more commonly referred to here as WH) and translate for him.  I got off to a bit of a shaky start since my becak driver dropped me off at the wrong office, but from there it went very smoothly. 

When I arrived at the office, it turned out that they were conducting a special operation called Socialisasi.  This is a similar concept to the more well-known Razia actions where WH officers pull people over and chastise them for wearing "inappropriate" clothing, going on dates with their boyfriends/girlfriends, and engaging in other "bad" activity that is not allowed within the laws of Sharia.  From what I've gathered, razia tends to be a little bit more severe and the people caught doing something that they're not supposed to results in more serious lecturing.  This socialisasi operation was more gentle, according to the officers we interviewed, and its main purpose was merely to remind offenders of the appropriate way to dress and conduct themselves according to Sharia law.  The first person who got pulled over was a young woman, college aged, who was wearing a tunic and leggings.

She was clearly upset about being pulled over - she looked so pissed off and refused to cooperate with them for a little while.  A couple of the female WH officers had to calm her down and convince her that all she had to do was sign her name, and that she wasn't in trouble - that they just wanted to talk to her.  

Basically what happens when someone is caught or pulled over is that they are taken to the side and have to show the WH officers their driver's licenses and give them their basic information - name, address, date of birth.  After that, one of the WH men gives them a lecture on appropriate conduct and religious fashion tips.  In Sharia, Muslim men and women are supposed to cover their aurat, which I like to refer to as "sexy parts".  A woman's aurat includes her hair, and from her neck to her feet.  Her forearms, however, are not included.  A man's aurat goes from his belly to his knees.  

There were a lot of women who got pulled over on motorbikes because their pants were deemed "too tight" by the WH officers.  It was interesting to see and hear their reactions, as there was some protest.  One woman said, 
"I don't understand why I am being pulled over.  I feel like I am dressed appropriately".
She wore a long shirt that went down to her thighs and blue jeans.  She tugged at her blue jeans, indicating that they were not tight at all and that they weren't clinging to her body as the jeans of some of the other offenders.  "Why are we being pulled over for wearing pants?  Even they are wearing pants", she continued, gesturing at the female WH officers.  
Another woman we interviewed, named Ipa, was equally as indignant.  

"I am very busy and have a lot of things to do.  I just got out of the shower and put on the clothes that I had so I could start my day sooner.  I am in a hurry and need to go to the market and buy food so I can cook for my children...I agree that as Muslim women ought to dress appropriately, but if they were really so concerned about us dressing inappropriately, they shouldn't sell inappropriate clothes in town.  How else will we know what is acceptable or not?  ...If they didn't sell clothes like these, we wouldn't buy them...we live in a modern world, Aceh is not like it was in the old days...You need to think progressively and not be stuck in the past...It's important to have an open mind, not a closed one."

Although there were a lot of women who were pulled over, there were a pretty decent amount of men that got stopped as well for dress code violations as this guy here.

 
 His knees are obviously covered in this picture, but maybe they were showing when he was on his motorbike.  Either way, the point that I wanted to make was that it's not just the women who are targeted.  However, I think that the majority of male offenders today were the public service officers who were skipping work.  Yes, WH also pulls over people who are skipping work.  Public servants wear khaki uniforms, and rest hours are from 12pm-2pm.  This operation was done between the hours of 9 and 11, so those people in uniforms who were out and about were pulled over, questioned, and lectured for leaving their job.

All of the lectures for dress code violators were pretty much the same.  I overheard them say,

"As Muslims, it is our duty to pray.  Likewise, it is also our duty to cover our aurat...men like it when you [women] wear tight clothes.  So, it is important to guard yourselves.  It is also important for you [men] to dress modestly as well."

 After being pulled over, everyone goes about their business as usual.  We asked a couple of people if this event today would encourage them to dress differently in the future.  One girl said that it was just "whatever", and that she probably wouldn't change her clothes.  Another offender wearing skinny jeans told us that she felt she was dressed "semi-appropriately", and that what she was wearing wasn't good but it also wasn't bad.  She said that in the future she would probably just wear longer shirts, since her butt was accentuated, but would keep on wearing the skinny jeans.  


The last two people we saw get pulled over were two young college-aged women.  One was not wearing a jilbab at all.  The other had on a jilbab, but a decent portion of her hair (a.k.a her bangs) were showing, and she was wearing a short-sleeved shirt.  I felt especially sorry for these two.  We asked one of them how she felt after being pulled over, and she admitted that she was scared.  She said that in the future she would remember to wear more appropriate clothing.  The reason I felt so bad for these two is because there was a camera crew there that kind of got in their faces, when they clearly did not want their pictures taken.  The girls who did not have a jilbab on somehow got her hands on one and put it on, and both hid their faces from the camera.  A lot of WH men and other male onlookers crowded around them in a circle, and it kind of felt as though they were a spectacle at a zoo or something.  They finally were permitted to go home after being lectured by one of the senior officers.  


Overall, it was a very interesting experience.  I got to talk a lot with the WH officers, and asked them what prompted them to join WH.  One female officer said,

"I wanted to join WH because before, I saw a lot of women going around wearing tight, inappropriate clothing and didn't like it.  We operate under Sharia law, and I feel that it should be enforced.  I want to do this so I can remind others of the law we live under and make dawa."

Apparently all of the WH officers join because they really want to help enforce Sharia, and we were told that everybody volunteered themselves to do it when asked if they wanted to join or not.  Before going on the force, candidates have to take a four part test and go through a little bit of training (I'm not sure in what, they didn't specify) before actually becoming a WH officer.

I'm not sure what the future of WH will be - maybe they will progressively grow more strict and try to enforce Sharia on a bigger level.  I've spoken to many people how they feel about Sharia in Aceh and have gotten mixed responses.  Some say that Aceh is not yet ready for Sharia, but the majority of people I have communicated with seem to have no problem with it and see WH operations as a "good thing".   

So far, I feel indifferent about Sharia in Aceh.  Yes, it's much different than what I'm used to.  Sometimes there is nothing more I'd like to do than to just take off my jilbab and enjoy a nice breeze blowing through my hair.  But as a Muslim woman and an Indonesian, I feel a strong obligation to wear it and have no complaints whatsoever.  In my opinion, the most important thing is that the region is peaceful.  Aceh is undoubtedly a very peaceful place to live, and I feel that after 30 years of conflict, the Acehnese just want to do their own thing and not have to worry about their safety.  

This was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I'm so grateful to have been able to take part in it.   It was different, but it's just the way people operate over here.  Either way, it's one of the things that make Aceh a very interesting place.

Me and the female WH officers - I'm wearing an official hat given to me by one of the main guys heading the operation today!

Aceh NGOs

This Monday I was able to visit the FBA (Forum Bangun Aceh) office to meet with its directors and founder, Pak Azwar. They were all very nice and helpful, and I learned a lot about their organization. They were created in 2005 after the tsunami to help survivors, and has since grown into a leading NGO in this area. They provide educational services, microcredit, and enterprise development to tsunami survivors, victims of conflict, and the poor and disenfranchised. Their programs include education initiatives as well as a Microcredit program to benefit some of the poorest regions of Aceh – in fact, their work has reached about 5,000 people within 6 districts of Aceh. Their education initiatives include student placements, scholarships, training, and professional development. The microcredit program buys small businesses the assets or materials they need, and then the individual business owners repay the cost of the assets to FBA on a payment plan.

They’ve done a great deal for the Acehnese, and their organization keeps on growing and gaining momentum. So far they’ve assisted 900 micro businesses, completely rebuilt a school, reequipped 37 schools with furniture and books, coordinated an educational exchange program for a handful of Acehnese students, and supported the planting of 2,250 trees. It would be great to possibly work with them in the future. The work that they’ve done for their community is truly inspirational.

On Tuesday, my friends Dicky and Saiful showed me this organization called Ya Kita, which is a drug addiction treatment and recovery center. They have two offices in Aceh, one is the actual recovery center (for boys), and the main one is more of an education/youth center where they bring middle and high school students in and teach them about health, HIV/AIDS, and the consequences of drug use. Today was interesting because they were having an event with some middle and high school students, and I was able to see how they taught the youth about all of this.

The main facility is really cool looking. There are murals all over the wall that say things like “SAY NO TO DRUGS”, and “THEY’RE EASY TO USE, BUT DIFFICULT TO RECOVER FROM”. They’ve also got a wall where visitors can sign their names and write inspirational type messages.

Afterwards, we visited an organization called Pusat Ketrampilan Perempuan Sejahtera (PKPS), which translates to Skills Center for Happy Girls. It’s an NGO founded by this amazing lady who started this organization to help girls who had to discontinue their education or were victims of conflict, trafficking, abuse, etc. She teaches the girls how to sew, and then they sell their goods (clothes, purses, etc.) to the public. Her name is Cut Mutia, and she’s a charismatic Acehnese woman with a voice as big as her heart. She was very helpful and gave me a lot of information about what PKPS does and what she wants to do with it. She asked me if I could give the girls there English lessons, so I may start going there once a week as well to have a conversation group or something. When I left she gave me a couple of souvenirs – small purses that the girls at the center made, and jokingly told me that I should take her products back to America and fundraise for her.

Later, I went back to FBA (and got hopelessly lost along the way) to accompany one of the coordinators, Ira, to visit one of the businesses that they help. This trip’s purpose was mainly for conflict resolution, as there were a couple of small problems that this particular group was having. The business is a snack stand – there are a lot of those in Indonesia – and it’s run by a group of middle aged women. Apparently there was an issue with the group leadership that needed to be resolved. They all spoke in Acehnese, so I didn’t quite understand all of it, but I got the general gist of what they were talking about. The best part of this trip was seeing Ira handle the situation. She was phenomenal – very diplomatic and enthusiastic, offering all sorts of alternatives to handling the problem and encouraging the women to see it from different perspectives. The ladies were receptive to her advice, and according to Ira, there shouldn’t be another issue like this in the future for them.

Another good thing that happened today – I got to meet up with one of the researchers over at ARTI, Pak Dani. I had met him the first week I was here, but never got a chance afterwards to have a chat with him. He is a really great character – he’s sharp and very witty; he’s one of those people that can make fun of you and actually be funny about it. I told him about my advances in my research here concerning terrorism, and he put me in contact with a couple of people who promise to be very helpful in assisting me with collecting data. He’s also got a book launching this Saturday that he invited me to; he said that there would be a few people there who could help me. I want to be able to collect as much data as possible about my topic while I’m here and hope that, even despite the short frame of time I have left, that I can bring a lot of data back home to work with.

I love having full days like these. They make me feel so productive, and considering that I have to be back at the asrama so early, it’s good to get a lot of things done earlier in the day and pack as much into the daylight hours as possible.