Introduceyourself: My Experience Guerrillas with GAM Rebels and Learn to Write in the War

peradabandunia (52)in #introduceyourself • 7 years ago (edited)

[Me (Thayeb Loh Angen). Photo by Irfan M Nur @Vannour]

Let's see you again, Hi Steemians ...

At the beginning of entry here, I have introduced myself, but only slightly. There are many things about me wanting to talk to you, so we know each other.

My name is Thayeb Loh Angen, 37 years old. I was born in Paloh Dayah, a remote village in the city of Lhokseumawe, Aceh.

My childhood

I passed a childhood in the village, Paloh Dayah and Paloh Meuria (neighboring village of Paloh Dayah). Every morning, I had to get up early to prepare to go to school.

Me and my sister, Nurlaila, have to walk about two kilometers to Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (at elementary school) located in Paloh Meuria. I do not have a vehicle. My father is a poor farmer. Every morning, by bicycle, my father brought our little garden to Batuphat morning market, about 7 kilometers from Paloh Dayah. He can not afford to buy me a bicycle.

After several years of schooling, I was put into a traditional education, the name of Nurul Muhtadie's pasantren, located on the edge of the highway, within the Attaqwa Paloh mosque complex, in Paloh Meuria. --- My father, Tgk Sulaiman bin Dadeh was a bilal officer there ---. Pasantren is farther half a kilometer after the Madrasah Ibtidaiyah school, precisely, approximately two kilometers from our house, which is on the South End of Paloh Dayah.

Every afternoon, I went with my sister to the study area at the mosque complex, and because my sister, my daughter, was studying in a special branch of the daughter who was in the house of the pasantren owner (Tgk H Muhammad Thaib) located about three hundred meters before the Madrasah Ibtidaiyah school. After my brother arrived at his study, I walked again a few hundred meters to the mosque compound.

We could not possibly go home at night, along the two-mile road that was rarely home and dark, no street lighting. So I went home two miles in the morning. When I got home, every morning apart from a day off, I showered, ate, got school uniform, and went to school.
Every day I walk about four more colimeters to study religion in traditional education, plus three miles back and forth from school.

After a few years, my father bought an old bike for me. So I ride my bike every afternoon and morning.

After I graduated from the madrasah Ibtidaiyah, I quit school for a year because my father could not afford to go to high school. But I insisted on going to school, so with the help of my brother, Muhammad Amin, I was put into a Madrasah Tsanawiyah school (junior high school) that had only been opened for several years in the mosque compound. After graduating from school, I went to Madrasah Aliyah (high school level) which is also located in the mosque complex-Both madrassas continued belong to one foundation). But after a few months, the new school building at SMP and SMA was moved to Cot Pinto Karo, in Paloh Dayah. It's about a kilometer from our house.

The outbreak of the 1998 Reformation in Indonesia

In 1998, I was third grade Madrasah Aliyah. There was a massive demonstration by a large number of students in Jakarta, Reformasi 1998. President Suharto, who had been in power for thirty years, was forced to give up his post. The political and economic situation of Indonesia is chaotic, the demonstrations spread throughout the great country. This archipelago country is about to break up because of it.

The chaos also arrived in Aceh. Several important places including Cunda Plaza were burned.

In addition, the fall of Suharto from the presidency of Indonesia to make the rupiah fell several hundred percent (and has not recovered until now), from 3500 Rupiah per one US Dollar when it became approximately 19000 US dollars per dollar, then after some time, the price of Rupiah strengthened Slightly to as much as 1300 per US Dollar and stay at that price (the price still survive until now).

[A GAM member. Ilustration. Photo By Taufik Rizal.]

Become a GAM rebel member

The students' demonstration was contagious to Aceh, and my college students at that time followed the euphoria for no reason, but it did not spoil people. At that time the followers of Hasan Tiro, who rebelled from the Republic of Indonesia, wanted to establish the State of Aceh Sumatra (The group introduced itself as ASNLF [Aceh Sumatra National Liberation Front]), then the media called them as GAM (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka). They are political escapes largely sheltered in Malaysia, the rest in countries in continental Europe and America.

When Suharto fell because of a demonstration of reform by students, the political escort who was a follower of Hasan Tiro was returning to Aceh flocking. They launched large and systematic propaganda by conducting massive and simultaneous political speeches.

At that time also, approximately 1998, the war began to break out in Aceh. The political refugees recruited young people to be rebel soldiers against the Republic of Indonesia and established the state of Aceh. In our class, three out of four men supported the movement because it was influenced by GAM propaganda, while another and four women chose to act casual.

After school graduation, GAM still recruited new soldiers for rebellion (we call it the Free Aceh Army), more than in 1998. I joined, as many young people did at the time.

No weapons, no uniforms, but somehow, we were so sure and excited. The runaway political propaganda succeeded absolutely.

After a few months of training around the gampong, most of us who were considered successful in exercising were instructed to continue training in the mountains. While in the mountains, we were given a green uniform. No weapons. After about three months, the training was over, but I did not get to finish the exercises because my legs sprained during training, and did not get to the end. I went back to the village with my feet still aching.

At that time we called Teuntra Sagoe Cot Kupula (Sagoe Cot Kupula army).

For convenience, this is a governance structure under GAM / ASNLF

[Ilustration. The state structure of Aceh GAM version]

About a year later I left the gampong and headed for the mountain. After some time there, DAILY officials were ordered to form troops as GAM Military Police. And I was chosen to be one of the members. Some of those selected were unable to continue the practice. While me and a few more people finish it. That way, I'm no longer teuntra sagoe, but the military police REGION I (there are 4 AREAs in one area). That is, I rise to the rank of two levels at once. However, in the structure, these REGIONAL members of this region belong to the military police AREA from REGION 1, because the military police are only formed at the level of the REGIONS in the AREA. We are the first successful military police committee.

After that, I was assigned to SAGOE in addition to my SAGOE. After a few months, I saw that GAM's movement was no longer as expected, many things had shifted from the ideology I knew. Many errors were made, so I no longer continued the task, and I avoided the rebel movement slowly. War is raging. There is no time to collect military police, I can call, military police are not needed in such circumstances, because people are at war.

I immersed myself in my favorite thing, which was to bury many books and write. At that time I wrote poetry (no more poetry now). I carry reading books and notebooks and pens wherever I go. (I have written about it complete in this steemit.com entitled "A Boy Who Handed The Book on the Road (inspiration story)----https://steemit.com/life/@peradabandunia/about-the-dream-of-writing-a-novel-and-a-boy-who-handed-the-book-on-the-road-inspiration-story---"

After a rather calm war situation, most of my chambermates no longer return to their union, including me. Then a new member is selected, I'm not included. But at one point I came back, and put in again. But I'm still not part of the fighter, because that's not our job, and I do not like it either.

After several months, there was a massive overhaul of members of the GAM military clerk in the Samudra Pase Territory. Military police officers were also overhauled, some members were replaced, partly retained in the council. I punm including that which is maintained in the koorp, I am grateful, because I can not be suitable for the combat troops.

At that time, REGIONS made a great meeting for regeneration, printing new cadres. The former Libyans (people trained in Libya) feel old. They also asked the representatives of each coordinator to send two people as potential trainers (muaIim). In my choir, two men were chosen, one of whom was me.

[GAM Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony, 2002, in North Aceh Mountains. Photo by REUTERS/Rizky Abdul Manan]

However, training as a coach that is planned for three months, should be accelerated because of the state of the country began to heat up again. We finished the training as a coach, and went home. Not long after that, in May 2003, the President of the Republic of Indonesia declared Aceh a province in the presence of DARURAT MILITER (MILITARY EMERGENCIES).

I, who was not prepared as a combatant, was given two choices, whether to vote in guerrilla with unarmed civilian GAM members, or to descend the mountain. With compulsion, I chose to go down the mountain, for I thought, why run away with unarmed people.

About a year later, on December 26, 2004, there was a tsunami disaster. Approximately a year later, the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and GAM signed the peace, in Helsinki, August 15, 2005.

The war was over. The end has been the struggle in the basic sense, which is to re-establish the state of Aceh.

GAM struggle in order to continue with the local Party, within the framework of the Republic of Indonesia. And GAM is required to abandon all military attributes, but it is justified to maintain its government structure which is named KPA (Aceh Transitional Committee). Therefore, the system in the picture above table is still enforced. And the former GAM combatants established Partai Aceh, a special party for Aceh.

Become a Writer and Journalist

After the peace was signed, the acute did not return to the council, I assumed it was finished, we had surrendered to fight for the State of Aceh Sumatra and chose Aceh to have self-government within the Republic of Indonesia (Self Government).

[Thayeb Loh Angen, in 2006. Photo by Hermadi Ilyas]

That's when I wrote a novel degan war situation and peace that I gave the title 'Retina'. The script was a competition in 2006, and won as the second winner among the dozens of participants from all over Aceh.

In late 2008, I signed up as a journalist in the print media, his name was Aceh Harian, and after about two weeks I was asked to Banda Aceh to assist editors at the editors. No one in Banda Aceh knows I am a former GAM combatant. And I never said that.

In 2009, it was published by CAJP under the title "Teuntra Atom".
At the end of 2010, I left the Aceh Daily newspaper and returned to Paloh Dayah. At that time I started to design a novel about Aceh in the next ten or dozens of years. At that time I called the title of Aceh 2021.

A few days at the end of 2011 -a few days before 2012-, I went to Banda Aceh again, became a reporter (editor) in Aceh Daily again. However, after several months had passed, the newspaper had to be closed for good.

[The exhibition stand of PuKAT, at Taman Sari, Banda Aceh, 2012. Photo by Doc. PuKAT]

During that time, with Dr. Mehmet Ozay (sociologist from Marmara University, Istanbul), and Nia Deliana, I founded a cultural NGO called PuKAT (Cultural Center of Aceh and Turkey).

In 2013, with Mirza Putra, I set up a training and writing organization, we named the Institute of Literature Hamzah Fansuri. After about a month, activities we had to stop.

Then in 2014, Muhajir Ibnu Marzuki invited me to guide some people to write, then the Literary Institute Hamzah Fansuri I was revived again, and because at that time the organization whose activities I run is PuKAT, so I ask the advice of Dr. Mehmet Ozay for the name of the organization of death. He suggested, his name should not be institut and without special 'literature'.

So we agreed, the name of the training organization as the School of Hamzah Fansuri, a school in the vast universe that is not asked to spend anything from the participants, free.

For the activities of PuKAT, we hold cultural seminars with speakers are experts from academics and community leaders in their fields. The seminar we held almost every month. The activity was in collaboration with the management of ACC Sultan II Selim Banda Aceh, free.

In 2014, PuKAT collaborated with Yurtdisi Turkler Basbakanlik (YTB), a foreign scholarship department controlled from the Turkish prime minister's office, for several activities over several months, in Banda Aceh and Lhokseumawe. PuKAT has also sent some people to Turkey and the journalistic and cultural agenda.

At the end of 2014, the text of the futuristic novel which I initially titled Aceh 2021 was published under the title ACEH 2025 by Yathrib Baru publisher. The book was launched on February 12, 2015.

At that time, 2015, the former editor-in-chief of Aceh Daily, Ariadi B Jangka asked me to help him revive a weekly news tabloid called the Mind Merdeka Tabloid (2015). After three months, I and two others were no longer in the tabloid editorial.

A few months after that, Boy Nashruddin Agus, editor-in-chief portalsatu.com, a newly created cyberspace media for his predecessor, atjehpost.com, was forced to close, asking me to help him become an editor in the media, and I agreed. So in November 2015 I became editor at portalsatu.com until now.

[Thayeb Loh Angen with Turkey Flag. Photo by Lodins LA]

Until early 2017, I did not contact colleagues who had struggled to liberate Aceh but quit because of the August 15, 2005 peace in Helsinki. Except, it's just an ordinary greeting if you meet accidentally. In fact, I refuse to support the candidate for Governor of Aceh Party who is the supreme commander of the KPA structure, although I want him to win because it is part of the line of struggle.

[Along with an old friend from GAM, in Lhokseumawe, June, 2017. Photo by Qahar Muzakar.]

However, to my surprise, somehow, the governor candidate from Partai Aceh who is the commander of KPA, Muzakir Manaf alias Mualem, was also lost in the direct election. I'm sad about it. That is a shame. We are strong people, but we can lose. I would have thought, if I had not turned to the Aceh Party and KPA, then their opponents would have a bad talk about it, and of course they did not separate the problem, they were to co-ordinate. Therefore, I also defended Partai Aceh and KPA. I will not let anyone slander us again. I must defend my comrades because some of them are good people and aspire to improve Aceh.

About Steemit

As a journalist, I think Steemit is one way for me to know and share information in the world population, about information and experiences on culture, art, politics, science, and so on.
I love reading information and viewing photos or watching and listening to videos in steemit.

[A pool of historical Tgk Chik in Paloh, typical of Paloh Dayah. Photo by Thayeb Loh Angen]

About Paloh Dayah

Paloh Dayah is also called Mns (Meunasah / Meulasah) Dayah is a village that has two sub-villages, namely Dusun A and Dusun B. Paloh Dayah has an area of approximately 502 hectares, most of which are hills, the rest are rice fields. People will find it difficult to find this gampong, because it is isolated in a hill manger.

All its boundaries with the surrounding gampong are hills, and rice fields. This gampong is bordered by Meunasah Meuria Meadows (Paloh Meuria or Meulasah Sukon) in the north and west. In the south it is bordered by Paloh Punti, in the east bordering Paya Bili, in the north east bordering Blang Panyang (hill with existing Japanese cave).

There is no natural way to Paloh Dayah. To get to Paloh Dayah, from the Simpang 4 Paloh highway, one has to enter Paloh Meuria, pass through Teungku Chik Di Paloh street from the north, and climb a heathered hill from the west, Cot Pinto Karoe, or across the fields from the north. It's to A hamlet located in the west.

As for the hamlet B located in the east, one has to pass through Teungku Chik Di Paloh road from the north at Paloh Meuria, then cross the road on the edge of rice fields and hills approximately one kilometer. The street is on the side of Cot Panggoi.

One more person from the south can enter Paloh Dayah via Paloh Punti, pass the Teungku Chik Di Paloh road from the south, then enter Cot Pinto Karoe west of Paloh Dayah, the same entrance as entering via Paloh Meuria if from the direction west.

While people from the east can only go to Paloh Dayah through the road that has been exhaled, from hamlet B to Paya Bili. This is a rocky road that left right of the fields of weeds, plants, shrubs, and coral hills.

In addition to these three main roads, one can also go to Paloh Dayah through a field road in the hills, not an official road and only bypassed by peasants, wild boar hunters, or security guards in the period before peace.

Gampong Paloh Dayah with a population of about a thousand souls does not have a plain like other gampong. The people there make a house on the cliff of a hill ditarakan area of the foundation and the yard or on the rice fields are dumped. This gampong has a football field because the youth there is a "football enthusiast". In the past, the field was a covered field, now the field was moved, to a new place, not to the dumped fields, but the new field was a flattened foothill.

In Paloh Dayah there is a historic site on the border with Blang Panyang, Japanese cave or Kurukrok Cot Panggoi. But the place was claimed as the area of Gampong Blang Panyang.

One more, there is a historical site there is a pond, Kulam Teungku Chik in Paloh, or kulam dayah. The pond excavated by Teungku Chik in Paloh is rectangular approximately Nine meters, each facet of seven meters wide, with a depth of approximately seven meters.

This pool is never dry, there is a big spring in the corner of the air, which is always covered with iron pots so as not to overflow. In addition to the pond, there is one object left in Teungku Chik Di Paloh again there, namely, a meunasah which is now used as a teaching center. Similar ponds and ponds are in Gampong Cot Trieng, on the famous Paya Cot Trieng side.

Several years ago, approximately in 2009, some youths there claim Paloh Dayah as a Cultural City, precisely Cultural City Paloh Dayah. This issue has evolved, and then, several years later, around 2014 in the Lhokseumawe City tourism bus carrying students visiting the grave alongside CISAH and Mapesa, it is written the tourist bus "Kota Lhokseumawe Kota Budaya".
I love it.

This is my book

[Novel Teuntra Atom. Author: Thayeb Loh Angen. Publisher: CAJP, 2009. Photo by Zulham Yusuf (layouter the book]

[Novel Aceh 2025. Author: Thayeb Loh Agen. Publisher: Yatsrib Baru, 2014. Photo by Zulham Yusuf (layouter the book) and Addin Ismail (Designer the book cover]

Thanks to @vannour, @keuudeip, @ejhaasteem, which has introduced steemit to me.
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