Tasked with filling the information gap on reconstruction in Aceh, Ceureumen's bold, pro-poor stance holds both the aid community and government to account. This newsweekly supported by the Bank-administered Decentralization Support Facility, and published as a supplement in Aceh's most-widely read newspaper, has become a key source of information in Aceh on reconstruction. Ceureumen means "mirror" in Acehnese.
 | Cover page of latest issue |
Banda Aceh, Indonesia, December 1, 2006. It has been two years since the tsunami devastated large parts of Aceh in a spectacular natural disaster killing over 13,000 people in nine countries. It has also been oneyear after the signing of the Helsinki accord which has ushered in an era of peace after three decades of conflict in Aceh. Chronicling these momentous developments in the life of the Acehnese in a way that furthers the aid and peace programs at the grass roots level has been a challenging but rewarding experience for the dedicated group of volunteer journalists who run Ceureumen. "I didn't want to write only for foreigners or the English speaking elite," says the editor, Nani Afrida, 30, who doubles up as Aceh correspondent for the influential daily The Jakarta Post. "It's the poor who suffered most in the tsunami and I wanted to give information to them and a voice for their concerns." Dressed in a conservative Muslim headscarf, Afrida's quiet exterior hides a feisty demeanor. She grew up in Aceh, returning to tell the region's story through the difficult years of conflict, even though she could have had a more lucrative career in Jakarta. "It's much easier being a reporter," she says. "As an editor, I am responsible for everything in the paper. Luckily, there is no external pressure and so far, we have been able to work without any interference." With eight pages full of information, Ceureumen has contributors from several areas of Aceh but relies on a core editorial staff of five to run the paper. “So many things have happened this past year, its been difficult sometimes to decide what is most important for readers,” says Munawar, 29, a reporter for Ceureumen who has been a journalist for nine years. Riding on the large circulation of Sirambi, Aceh leading newspaper, Ceureumen publishes 34,000 issues but has a minimum readership of 100,000. The copies are also distributed through the colorful mini buses that ply the rural roads to reach areas beyond Serambi’s distribution network. Ceuremen is also distributed through public spaces like health centers, mosques, and police stations; proven effective to date: “This network takes updated aid and reconstruction information as well as post- conflict developments to a large number of readers, “says Siti Rahmah who liaises with Ceureumen staff for the World Bank in Banda Aceh. “We get regular feedback from the community through SMS on issues discussed in our columns, Vox Pop and Your Comments. We also get feedback through emails and our P.O. Box," she indicates. There were two readers polls which brought in a huge amount of mail. The questions were: Do you think that GAM (ex combatants of the Aceh Free Movement) need to be dismissed? Most said No, because GAM is part of Aceh’s history. Do you agree that Syariah Law should be implemented in Aceh?
Most said Yes but that it should be comprehensive and fair.
However, the paper’s most important role is providing a platform for exchange of information between donors, NGOs communities and the people. “The touchiest story for me is about people still living in barracks. Before the tsunami, they were renters, they didn’t own land or houses. So far, there is no clear solution on whether they are entitled to aid", says Nani, who speaks the local language as she grew up here. With so many fast moving developments stories sometimes arrive on deadline, which is a chore for the newly married Said who has spent nights at his desk when he would rather be elsewhere.  | Ceureumen staff in a meeting |
Right now, he is busy putting together two special editions on the first Aceh elections after the peace deal and the commemoration for the second year. “What a huge task,” he says.
The bumper 16 page tsunami commemoration issue will focus on the rehabilitation of the environment during the reconstruction including issues such as protecting water sources, illegal logging and the changed shore lines. Another important issue is the impact of the reconstruction, foreign influence in an area that was closed to the world for 30 years on the culture and social structure of Aceh. The paper will also address the future of Aceh’s economy once the aid program ends in 2010. The picture is promising in terms of revenues according to the recently released Aceh Public Expenditure Analysis (4mb pdf). This past year, Ceureumen has carried out a campaign on corruption allegations in Aceh’s reconstruction. In an interesting instance, the paper was threatened by a law suit for an article alleging a previous head of a sub-district in Pidie had embezzled grants from the Kecamatan Development Program, a community-driven development program administered by the World Bank. In order to get interesting stories, Ceureumen staff sometimes go to remote areas “to meet people directly and learn their information needs,” says Firman, a student of Syah Kuala University who contributes to the paper. Ceurumen is a watchdog for the reconstruction with a strong distribution network for carrying stories from the field were land and housing problems remain.”
Aiptu Helmi, Head of Padrah Police, Pidie |
“Ceurumen is a watchdog for the reconstruction with a strong distribution network for carrying stories from the field were land and housing problems remain.” Says Aiptu Helmi, Head of Padrah Police, Pidie sub-district: “Ceureumen monitors the progress of the Aceh reconstruction for us and is a must-read for those who still live in barracks.” Indeed, its coverage of the housing debate and policy issues is keenly followed by a group of widows; “We want to know what our luck will be in the end,” says Evri (30), a woman tsunami victim that lives in Kling Meuria barrack in Kahju. With Hotli Simanjuntak, photographer and Mahdi Abdullah, graphic designer as well as painter, Ceuremen is also important source of information for the ARRnet (Aceh Reconstruction Radio Network), community radio stations funded by the Japan Social Development Fund and administered by the World Bank.
Ceureumen is funded by the Decentralization Support Facility - a multi-donor fund including the Asian Development Bank, the United Kingdom's Department for International Development, the United Nations Development Program, the World Bank, and the Government of Netherlands. The biweekly Ceureumen made its debut in 2005 in Aceh’s leading newspaper Serambi Indonesia.
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