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Traditional life in Aceh will stand or fall with special autonomy
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For dinner: Alpaci shows off his catch of the day. (JP/Syafrizaldi)
T
he future of Aceh, a province that enjoys special autonomy, is at stake as its legislation is tailored to local traditions and culture, while its population is struggling to manage the region’s natural resources.
Eight-year old Alpaci and 7-year old Putri Alisawere were soaked with mud, partly drying out on their backs.
Their father was plowing his paddy field with a tractor. The two children followed him, collecting worms as bait for fishing in an irrigation ditch.
“Mother will cook the fish if we get it,” said Alpaci.
Alpaci and Putri went further down to a bigger irrigation channel, where they were pushing a small fish into a corner without any tool, before catching it and putting it into a can. Ignoring the heat of the sun over the Mukim Lamteuba region in Aceh Besar regency, Aceh, they brought the fish home for their family.
Their mother, who had been waiting for them at home, began cleaning the fish.
