Famous Acehnese actors Gense and Burhan performed in a drama about
conflict-related mental illnesses this weekend in Aceh as part of
an IOM campaign to raise awareness about mental health in the
province.

Gense and Burhan, well-known soap stars from Aceh TV, as well as
Mat Leleh and Nini Gonrong, with music by Dokarim Acehnese Arts
Community, performed in Peusangan Siblah Krueng and Jeunib, two
sub-districts of Bireuen strongly affected by the almost three
decades of conflict prior to the signing of the 2005 peace
agreement between the Indonesian government and rebels.

Villages in these two sub-districts have also been involved in a
six-month pilot IOM mobile psychosocial programme funded by the
Norwegian embassy. The programme has provided basic medical care,
as well as mental health treatment to residents of 25 high-conflict
villages in Bireuen. Working with a network of 125 specially
trained village volunteers, in conjunction with the puskesmas, or
government health clinics, the mobile clinic has assessed nearly
2,500 patients, and provided treatment to 581 people suffering
mental illnesses.

An IOM study of mental health in Bireuen, Pidie and North Aceh,
conducted in 2006 in conjunction with Harvard Medical School and
the Indonesian Ministry of Health, found that 65 per cent of
residents in high-conflict villages displayed high levels of
depression, 69 per cent ranked high on anxiety symptoms and 34 per
cent had symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Nearly 80 per cent of the 596 civilians randomly selected in 30
rural communities report having lived through combat experiences,
41 per cent report a family member or friend was killed, and
one-third report having a family member or friend kidnapped or
having disappeared.

But in many parts of Aceh there is little understanding of how
living through combat, or experiencing other traumatic experiences,
can cause Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression and extreme
anxiety.

"Most people don't understand the effects of conflict and what
causes trauma," says Dr. Enny Bahari, a doctor leading IOM's
medical outreach project.

"A lot of people think those suffering mental problems have been
possessed by evil spirits, and don't realize it could be the result
of experiencing violent events," added Dr. Enny.

For further details contact:

Marianne Kearney

IOM Banda Aceh

Tel + 62 812 698 9308

E-mail: "mailto:mkearney@iom.int">mkearney@iom.int