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!