Husband's Trust

“If it's dead, all I have to do is go to his grave and show it to my son. But if it's lost, how do I tell the kids?"

Asmara

She used to live with a faithful husband accompanying her in joy and sorrow. Now he has to live the bitter sweetness of his life without friends along.

Usually called "Kak Asmara" by the people around him. Her husband's name is Zulkifli Ilyas. It was this man who became the breadwinner of the family and protected him and their six children, before going missing on July 3, 2003.

Zulkifli once served as a Keuchik (village head). It is liked by the people. Even though he was busy serving the residents at that time, he still took the time to gather with his wife and children who needed attention.

Asmara did not witness her husband being taken away by the authorities.

I learned about the incident from Mr. Geuchik Leman Limpok. My husband was taken at four in the afternoon and at five in the afternoon, Pak Geuchik told me,” she said.

She did not understand why her husband was taken away by the authorities. He tried to trace the events that had passed. As far as she remembers her husband never had a problem with anyone.

After receiving information from the keuchik, Asmara immediately went to the nearest sector police station (Polsek) and the Bireuen resort police (Polres) to look for her husband. But they could not give any explanation.

Romance does not despair. She kept looking for her husband. About five days after she searched everywhere for her husband, a group of people from the Joint Intelligence Unit (SGI) came to her house.

They asked for the weapons that her husband had. They accused her husband of being involved in the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). There are no weapons in Asmara's house. Because she couldn't find the weapon, Asmara was considered by SGI to be in cahoots with her husband. She was accused of deliberately hiding her husband's weapon. Worse yet, he is considered not to want to help the state apparatus.

Asmara was thrown into Bireuen prison.

While in prison, he also never separated from his six children. They were imprisoned with him. The prison only provided food for two children. Asmara has to bear the food needs of her and her four children alone. Her brother tries to help Asmara as best he can.

He tried to be strong, remembering his young children. But sometimes he can't hide his sadness. He also did not know how long he would be behind bars. At that time the conflict was heating up. The war between GAM and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) has yet to show any sign of ending.

“One day, I have forgotten when that very happy day happened, where at that time the Commander of the Iskandar Muda Military Commander Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya was visiting Bireuen prison to see the prisoners. in prison," said Asmara.

The commander asked the prison guards to free Asmara. This woman is finally back to breathe the fresh air of the outside world.

“My release from prison was not accompanied by a release letter, because I was just arrested without an arrest warrant. I also imprisoned myself without going through a court process,” he said.

After that he tried a small business to support his children. He sells fried rice, fried noodles, and coffee.

The villagers accepted his presence again. They knew her husband well, knew what he and his children were like. They are not affected by accusations

What was launched by the authorities.

The hardest thing Asmara experienced was the questions her children asked about their father.

"Why don't you go home? My heart felt torn. I tried to answer calmly, 'father is looking for sustenance', because there is no way I can tell them that his father is missing until now I don't know where," he said.

However, he slowly tries to be open and honest with his children. "Ask them to pray for the safety of their father, if he is still alive, because he has been kidnapped for more than six years," he said again.

The youngest child is the most difficult to understand.

"If it's dead, it's very easy. I just went to his grave and showed him. If it is lost, how do you show it to a child who is now in the second grade of elementary school (elementary school)," said Asmara.

All the children are still waiting for their father's return. When they heard about the repatriation of political prisoners from prisons outside Aceh who arrived in Banda Aceh, their children who were already in school refused to go to school. For two days they insisted on skipping classes.

"Waiting to know his father was in the group and asked me to pick up his father in Banda Aceh," he continued.

There was one thing he regretted while in prison. His children could not go to class. They also did not dare to go home.

Now he pays for their own educational needs. They received no scholarships for conflict children. He received no help whatsoever.

She always remembers her husband's trust.

“Before this disaster hit us, he once gave me a message. Whatever happens to us, the children must stay in school because that will be their future,” recalls Asmara.

Asmara hopes that the government will pay attention to the education of the children of people with the same fate as her. For her, it is very important so that she can fulfill her husband's mandate.