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| Document Aceh Explorer Adventure Tours | Former GAM guiding foreign tourists |
This is the type of combatants along the route while still in Aceh armed conflict. Guided directly ex-combatants.
BEFORE Helsinki Agreement was signed, August 15, 2005, the
Terrace of Mecca may be one that is rarely enter conflict zones tourists. Eight
years after peace was achieved, in order to Visit Aceh Year 2013, Aceh is ready
to be a magnet for lovers of nature and history.
Forests and mountains in the Aceh region that used to be a
hideout of the rebel Free Aceh Movement (GAM) is now converted into a
recreation area that offers a sense of adventure. In fact, outbound activities
called Guerrilla Travel is guided directly by the ex-combatants who had been
part of the Aceh conflict-RI for over 29 years.
Approximately 8 years has passed for former GAM commander
Lhoong area operations, Jen and her colleagues fought for Aceh's independence.
For 4 years he was hiding in the woods around the area Lhoong-Aceh Besar, along
with 60 other members of GAM. After a peace treaty in 2005, 40 members of GAM
survive, leaving their jungle hideouts to re-gather with relatives.
Foot tread mountain climbing in Lhoong, Jen recalled in
times of struggle before, despite searching track he is still the same but the
difference is now he is no longer carrying a weapon. Now Jen and his comrades
in arms have a new profession; Tour Guide. Mountain climbing and rescue skills
ever help him in the pursuit of security forces (army / police) now has the
potential to join hands to bring tourists into the same forest to enjoy the
beauty of the mountain and its flora and fauna in it in Lhoong under the
umbrella of Aceh Explorer Adventure Tours .
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| Marjuni, former Chief Operating Lhoong region GAM, Aceh Besar a guerrilla tour. |
Aceh Explorer, as the originator of guerrilla tour packages,
has a good reason why it chose the former combatants and conflict victims as a
tour guide, they have a lot of expertise is needed as a guide, for example, the
leadership, discipline, and teamwork and self rescue techniques in the forest .
Because they have felt the harsh life in the jungle for years, then it can
certainly expect them to be a tour through the forest. Directly they knew every
route that is in the area where they had been active as combatants.
Several years ago, former Governor of Aceh, Irwandi Yusuf,
smiling at the unique proposal to make the former headquarters of GAM as a
tourist area. However, given the potential for ecotourism in Aceh and the
provision of jobs for the region's son was given a letter of recommendation to
begin the Guerrilla Travel package program. Capitalize letter of
recommendation, Aceh Explorer start the program by visiting several villages
and quickly managed to invite 15 former combatants. To date about 50 have
joined the tour in Aceh Explorer and most are former combatants. In August 2012
new Governor Zaini Abdullah also has renewed letter of recommendation for the
smooth implementation of the program and the continuation of Guerrilla Travel.
Unique
Guerrilla Travel is a unique novelty in Indonesia can only
be found in Aceh. Therefore Aceh Explorer Travel has developed Guerrilla at
certain locations in Aceh.
Despite injuries and melancholy, the former GAM followers
like Dede and Doen not hold a grudge. "We have buried our past. We are
grateful for the peace in the country Rencong been created. We hope the
Guerrilla Travel livelihood we are now able to develop, "said June.
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| A tourist drinking water from tree roots in Pucok Krueng, Aceh Besar. |
Aceh Explorer Adventure Tours are very optimistic that the
guerrillas in Aceh Tourism will thrive like in Vietnam. Support from local and
central government is the main capital in a bid to develop the concept of
Guerrilla Travel. Started by Reuters in 2008, like a snow ball hoop, dozens of
other international media has also been interested to follow and has been
covering this tour package.
Continued promotion through social networks (see: Facebook
Cruising Aceh), which shows the number of visitor interest and positive
response to Guerrilla Travel tour that has been running 5 years and expanding
to several locations in Aceh. Aceh has become an example for other countries
that are also in the period of recovering from conflicts such as El Salvador
Guerrilla Travel starting in 2009 and Nepal in 2012.
Guerrilla Travel in some parts of Aceh are not less
interesting than the tourist beaches or scuba diving Aceh who are already
famous. Strongly support the potential of natural Aceh Tourism Guerrilla, long
understood positively, Guerrilla Travel will not be a negative impression. An
important point of the concept of Guerrilla Travel is the empowerment to
thousands of former rebels who need jobs and are still difficult to find a job.
Being a tour guide would be one way out because they do well
and according to their expertise. The change professions former combatants into
Guerrilla Travel guide, it will open more new jobs in the region. Therefore,
the provision of new jobs in Aceh still relatively difficult, while the number
of former rebels in Aceh about tens of thousands of people.
Riel (26), one of the guides who are also former GAM
soldiers, said he was happy running his new profession. "I do not have
much intelligence, most I know is forest," said the man from Aceh Besar
it.
Jen is a former GAM combatants as commander operating in the
area Lhoong is among the first to join the team in Aceh Explorer as your tour
guide. "Surely we imagined in the past ... that's the story of life and
our history. One thing that is very hard to do on the mountain. I prefer my
current job because there is no dispute. And I am very proud of our forest
wealth shows. I hope to be able to do this more often because I like being in
the wild. It is definitely better than sitting at home not doing anything,
"he said.
Similarly with the other guides seemed more pleased with the
change of the fighters being a tour guide.
"For me this is not a strange thing, because it is a
good job. I myself love to be able to work together with friends as a tour
guide "says June.
Start now, in the midst of a peaceful Aceh, the more
ex-soldiers to guide travelers visited the former headquarters of hiding when
the conflict took place. For adventure lovers, Tourism Guerilla an attractive
choice because it offered relatively challenging test adrenaline. Tim Aceh
Explorer always give our best to get an impression and attract many tourists
will say; Loen Gisa lom u Aceh (I will return to Aceh).
Photo gallery guerrilla tour can be seen here: Travel routes
explored combatants
John Mendel Pols Hidayat alias Nurdin, is the founder of
Aceh Explorer Adventure Tours. He can be contacted at the following channels:
Mobile: 087747198933
Email: acehexplorer@yahoo.com
Facebook: cruising Aceh
Twitter: @ acehexplorer
source:www.atjehpost.com