Terrorism, a Warning to North Sumatra

[caption id="attachment_92651" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="(Source: http://cetak.kompas.com/read/xml/2010/03/13:) "][/caption] Three out of eight terror suspects arrested by the police yesterday in Aceh are from North Sumatra: Ahmad Gema (27) from South Tapanuli, Taufik (28) from Medan and Hendra Ali from Belawan, near Medan. Around 50% of people in North Sumatera are Christians of both Catholic and Protestant (with all its denominations). This province has been known as one of the most important pluralistic community wither in culture, religion and ethnicity. The Bataks are mainly both Muslim and Christian; adat or culture is one of the most important bridge for them as a community. South Tapanuli is well known with its moderate Muslim community. The Muslims and the Christians have been living side by side even though it has not always been without tension or problem. However, the locals in South Tapanuli -- as I recently talked with a religious leader from this region -- have been always managed on how live peacefully. After all, they are brothers and sisters; their religions can different but still, they are united within their marga (clan) as well as communal codes of living together as a community. Well, that was the explanation and understanding I used to heard. Today, I read Kompas and found out that one of the suspect terrorist comes from South Tapanuli ((Kaderisasi Terus Berlangsung). We do not know if it is only one really. The other two are from Medan and Belawan, both here in North Sumatera. These suspect terrorists are young people, in their 20s and 30s. Ten years ago, they were just about teenagers. We cannot just put the blame on them, can we? It is wiser to ask the question both to these young suspect terrorists and us as well: Why they decided to become a member of a terrorist-group? Is it simply to do with how manipulative the recruitment process  could be? It says that one of the reason is to do with poverty; these people are hopeless to see their future. Resources in almost all aspect of life (education, economy, social and politic as well as culture) are already on the hands of the few. Therefore, once a recruiter indoctrinates to them in such a 'witty' way that it is a holy-option to fight against the few, they can easily join the group. Is it make sense for you? I think, it does. [caption id="attachment_92648" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Deforestation in North Sumatra; this land is belongs to Pandumaan and Sipituhuta villagers, they have been farming benzoin-trees here for more than 300 years for generations. PT TPL deforestated this benzoin-forest for eucaliphtus-trees. (Foto by: LTS, August 2009)"][/caption] There have been so many problems here in North Sumatra as in many other part of Indonesia. The majority of the land here are plantations. The central government has been supporting deforestation; to change forest to become plantation. Who have been getting rich on this system? Again, those few people. The majority have to fight harder to support their life. For some people especially those without education, there can be no option. Who care? Indonesia is a big country where Jakarta plays a dominant role. It is often that people from such as North Sumatra, who live in a far away place like Central Tapanuli, have to go to Jakarta only to tell their misery. Thousand hectares of land in Central Tapanuli as generally in North Sumatra converted to plantations owned by private-sectors supported by the central and local government. How many times these people have been to Jakarta? What are the responses of the president and the council members?Do they really care? Sad to say, they do not really care. If they do, of course, these people, many of them are farmers and trans-migrants from Java to Central Tapanuli do not need to go to Jakarta only to fight for their basic human rights. If you are one of the son of those farmers - your parents legal-land is taken - what are you going to do? So far, we know there is Ahmad Gema of South Tapanuli, a young man on his 20s, a suspect terrorist. I am afraid that this is an iceberg-tip phenomenon within today's sociological context here in North Sumatera as well in Indonesia in general. Of course, this is also inseparable with our unjust global context; an unjust context like a woman being pregnant but her baby is terrorism -- we create the world where we let it being pregnant with terrorists. What are we going to do then? Only an idiot who feed this only world where we all live with terrorism, right? As a young generation, I get bored to see our unjust global system. Young people suppose to nurture their creativity not to kill people and become a member of a terrorist group. How can these young people can nurture their creativity if in front of them all doors are closed secured by guards with weapons on their hands? Now, open the doors! Let the guards change their weapon with art-tools such as pen, pencil, computer, etc.  These young people have unlimited creativity and they can work for the better world only if we let them have their room to do so.*** Related:

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