A new study by IOM, Harvard Medical School, Syiah Kuala University
and the Indonesian Ministry of Health has revealed for the first
time the extremely high levels of conflict-related trauma among
civilians in Indonesia’s Aceh province.



The Psychosocial Needs Assessment in Pidie, Bireuen and Aceh Utara
Districts in Aceh evaluates the particular psychosocial and mental
health needs of people affected by the 29-year conflict between
Indonesia’s security forces and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).
It was not designed to catalogue or identify groups or individuals
responsible for causing the trauma.



The report concludes that Acehnese civilians display extremely high
levels of combat-related trauma comparable to that of Bosnian
civilians following the Balkan war or Afghans after nearly three
decades of conflict.



Nearly 80 percent of 596 adult civilians randomly selected in 30
rural communities reported having lived through combat experiences.
Forty one percent reported having a family member or friend killed,
and one-third reported having a family member or friend kidnapped
or missing.



As a result of this “complex trauma,” roughly
two-thirds of the sample showed symptoms of depression and anxiety,
and 34 percent showed symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.




The report also revealed troubling details about trauma experienced
in the six months after the signing of the so-called Helsinki
Accord in Aug. 2005. Close to a third of respondents reported
experiencing attacks and 21 percent report reported being robbed
during this period. Forty-seven percent of respondents said that
seeing the perpetrators of past violence in the community
contributed to their stress.



In addition to conducting major tsunami-related reconstruction and
recovery work in Aceh, IOM is the Indonesian government’s
lead partner in the re-integration into mainstream society of more
than 5,000 ex-combatants and amnestied political prisoners.



While much attention has been paid over the past two years to
tsunami-related mental health issues, relatively little has been
done to help thousands of people struggling with conflict-related
trauma, according to IOM post-conflict reintegration programme
manager Mark Knight.



“Reconstruction of Aceh and the evolving peace process are
inextricably linked. The international community urgently needs to
invest in a more holistic approach to mental health that includes
effective outreach and treatment options for conflict-affected
communities to ensure the long-term viability of the reconstruction
process and to buttress the peace,” he says.



Data from the Pidie, Bireuen and Aceh Utara study will help the
Ministry of Health and partners including IOM to develop effective
mental health treatment programs. Additional data collected from
ten other Aceh districts will be ready for release in the first
quarter of 2007.



Based on the results of the report, IOM will launch a pilot mental
health project in conflict-affected communities in Bireuen district
next month.



For further information, please contact:



Paul Dillon

IOM Indonesia

Tel. +62.8126988035

Email: "mailto:pdillon@iom.int">pdillon@iom.int