The Jakarta Post, July 23, 2005
Ambon kids learn to ease trauma
M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post/Ambon
It happened during the Idul Fitri holiday six years ago when Thamrin Wally was on his
way home with his mother. As they arrived at the Mardika Terminal, suddenly chaos
broke out in the vicinity. People fled in panic, and buildings were on fire. Thamrin was
confused as he had lost his mother in the chaos. Thamrin, then seven years old,
thought that his mother had mistakenly grabbed the hand of another boy in the
terminal vicinity.
Thamrin was confused and did not know where to go. Fortunately, a university student
whose house was near Thamrin's in the Waringin area recognized Thamrin and
escorted him home.
Along the street, Thamrin and his neighbor ran as quickly as possible while keeping a
look out for snipers. He saw men and women dead, some mutilated. His house had
been burned down. He did not know where to go but again he was fortunate that his
neighbor, whose house had also been burned down, brought him to the Al Fatah
Mosque.
When Thamrin arrived at the biggest mosque in Ambon, hundreds of people had
already taken refuge there and Thamrin was relieved to be reunited with his family.
This was the first time that Thamrin had seen such violence. Days later, scenes of
extreme violence became commonplace as sectarian riots -- ostensibly between
Muslims and Christians -- broke out all over the city.
The bloody violence turned Thamrin into an introvert, and he was very distrustful of
people. "He often sat alone," said a displaced persons coordinator Fatimah Sangaji,
who is also Thamrin's neighbor.
Thamrin's story is representative of Ambon children in general. During the sectarian
violence that took place between 1999 and 2002 and which killed thousands of
people, Ambonese children lived amid the sound of bullets whizzing and bombs
exploding. The children lived in fear.
"From their gestures we could easily see that they had been traumatized by the
situation," said Baihajar Tualeka, coordinator of the Institute for Women's and
Children's Empowerment (LAPPAN).
LAPPAN, whose office is located near the displaced persons camp at the Waiahong
Amusement Park, has been actively counseling 436 children in the refugee camp
since 2000. Its 18 volunteers also actively counseled children in other camps in
Waiheru, Waringin and Tulehue in the city.
Besides LAPPAN, which counsels Muslim children, the Ekaleo Foundation is active
in counseling Christian children.
Children from both sides have often met in order to promote pluralism and trust among
them, according to Vecky Peilouw, the director of Ekaleo foundation. Ekaleo, which
receives funding from a Netherlands organization, counseled some 500 children from
the Leihitu area.
Both organizations worked to build children's self-confidence and help ease them out
of their trauma. "At first, they were traumatized with the violence. They expressed this
when making paintings that were colored with violence symbols such as guns, riots or
burned houses," said Vecky.
However, this trend has changed since 2002. Since that year, they had begun to paint
flowers, and their articles and poetry tell stories of peace and friendship, said Vecky.
"It's a good development, but it takes time to ease out the trauma completely," said
Vecky, adding that spats of violence in recent years had often brought back dark
memories for the children.
The two organizations were trying to implant positive values in Ambon children and
through these values, they learned that the essence of people's lives is to interact and
help each other. These values will be promoted during National Children's Day that is
commemorated today.
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