Hello, my friends, I'm back in this beloved community to share some images. In this blog, I'll tell you all about a very dark tragedy that occurred in my area, specifically on the Arakundo Bridge. The local community knows this event as the Arakundo Tragedy.
First, I'd like to inform everyone that this blog has no intention of containing hate speech, as such is strictly prohibited within this extraordinary community. Instead, I'm creating this blog with the goal of telling the world that a very cruel incident occurred on this bridge, and the people of Aceh must know about it for their children and grandchildren.
Okay, friends, please continue following my blog to see some images and a short article about the event.
Good evening, my friends.
The Arakundo Bridge is one of the bridges in Idi Cut, East Aceh.
One of the darkest events occurred here during the 1998-1999 civil war. The motive was allegedly revenge by one party (whose name was not mentioned) on the other, resulting in the deaths of innocent civilians.
Even more painful was the massacre of civilians, which was carried out by authorities by tying stones to the bodies of the victims and then throwing them into the river, preventing them from floating.
My friends...
The search for victims was carried out using traditional tools, as authorities and other parties did not assist in the search. Most of the victims did not float, as I mentioned above, because their bodies were tied with weights made of stones. Bullets and projectiles branded as Pindad, a Bandung-based firearms manufacturer that supplies ABRI weapons, were also found on the edge of the bridge.
I can't possibly go into more detail about the history, as I'm a bit afraid to create such a complex blog. Besides being a bit careful not to violate community rules, I'm also trying not to blog in too much detail so as not to re-open the wounds of the community, which have healed from this incredibly painful event.
The above are some of the images I captured. The image in this image is from our first time at the Arakundo Bridge. If you're traveling along the Banda Aceh-Medan national road, you'll pass this bridge, the shape of the monument being shown in the image I've shared above.
This bridge is not the original bridge; it has been renovated and rebuilt next to the original. I don't think this is a good thing, because I believe the government built this bridge so that the Acehnese people forget one of the most cruel historical events perpetrated by the authorities.
One of my goals in creating this blog is to convey this message: we Acehnese will never forget history. So, with this simple blog, I hope we can all see and read a glimpse into the history of the Arakundo Bridge.
My friends...
A few days ago, I traveled to East Aceh to capture some images. One that caught my attention, prompting me to stop and capture images for a blog post to share with this community was the Arakundo Bridge.
Here are some of the images I captured on this bridge. This simple bridge holds a very dark history.
Do you see the small building in the picture above between the sides of the bridge?
That's the bridge that was built long ago. It was here that a massacre occurred, which, according to eyewitnesses, killed civilians and injured hundreds more. The perpetrators have yet to be arrested and brought to justice.
I was a little afraid to take clearer pictures because, when I created this blog, I was honestly a little creeped out by the memory of that history. Tears unexpectedly welled up in my eyes as I recalled and reminisced about this very dark story. Hopefully, these brief images will help you visualize it.
If you'd like to read more about this history in detail, you can visit the Wikipedia link I've embedded below. Hopefully, this Wikipedia history will give you a glimpse into how this cruel story unfolded.
Wikipedia
After I was satisfied with my glimpse of the area, I took some pictures of the river under the Arakundo Bridge. The water under the Arakundo Bridge is actually very clean, and local residents also use it for their rice fields and daily needs.
However, due to the rain that has been pouring down on my area for the past few days, the water in the Arakundo River has become very murky, as can be seen in some of the pictures I shared above.
My friends...
I would also like to mention that the incident at this bridge is one of five cases recommended for immediate processing by the independent commission investigating acts of violence in Aceh. Although the Attorney General had already initiated an investigation in November 1999, no members of the security forces have been prosecuted for this act of violence.
Those are some pictures and a short text from me. I hope you all enjoy and are entertained by what I've shared. My message to all my friends in Aceh is that this history is not for us to forget, nor is it an occasion for revenge. Rather, it is a valuable lesson for us to become better in the future.
That's all for now.
Greetings, everyone.
See you on my next blog.
| Camera used | Handphone |
|---|---|
| Lens | 64 mp |
| F-stop | |
| Iso speed | ISO |
| Focal length | MM |
| Photography | Arakundo Bridge |
| Photographer |  @antonydossantos |
Maulizar Mawardi or better known as
