I read a sad post on the account of X Dandhy Dwi Laksono, former editor-in-chief of acehkita.com, an underground online mass media that uncovered many cases during military operations in Aceh, Indonesia. Dandhy reported the death of Juwita Kesuma alias Kak Ita. As a former journalist at acehkita.com, I feel sad even though I have never met Kak Ita. Maybe we met in Jakarta or Banda Aceh, I'm sure, at various media events. But I never remember it.
Kak Ita works behind the scenes, she is the admin and financial guard of Acehkita. This means that the honorarium I receive every month is the result of her work—of course assisted by a team. Kak Ita has done a service to journalists, including me.
I asked Dandhy's permission to post the sad news on the Hive blog, so that there is a digital footprint for journalists and people who know her. At the end of the post, Dandhy also wrote, “Greetings to Radzie and Helmi”. Both were former journalists in Acehkita who had passed away earlier.
During the Aceh war (2003-2005), followed by the tsunami, Juwita Kesuma (Ita) was a big sister figure to all of us, the journalists who covered the event.
She was not with us in the field. She was guarding behind ensuring all logistics and administration were taken care of properly.
Ita was an admin and financial guard at ACEHKITA, an alternative media that we founded during the conflict and Military Emergency (July 19, 2003). Two months after President Megawati declared Military Emergency status and sent 40 thousand troops to Aceh.
During Military Emergency status, all normal legal rules did not apply. Including the Press Law. We felt unsafe and did not have the freedom to report.
So we decided to work “underground”. Ita held all the identities of journalists who covered the event under pseudonyms or fake identities for security reasons.
Discipline, trustworthiness, and professionalism. That's what kept us all safe during the war until the Helsinki peace agreement was signed on August 15, 2005.
During the 2004 tsunami, when many organizations were "flooded with money," Ita was not interested in working for larger institutions. Her experience in managing various organizations in Aceh since the 1990s, and as an Acehnese, made her flooded with offers.
But Ita chose to be with us in the editorial office. Continuing to manage a small media that was witnessing a major humanitarian event (war and disaster).
After the war and tsunami, Ita tried to survive by selling clothes at the Banda Aceh market. ACEHKITA journalists also came out of "hiding" and returned to their lives and work.
"Ita is now diligently watching soap operas, because she has to see the fashion clothes worn by artists. Because the next day, many people will definitely be looking for them," she said once.
Another day, she called asking about an expedition service that could bring clothes from Tanah Abang to Banda Aceh.
"Wow, business in the shop is getting faster, huh?" I teased.
But a few years later, she complained that it was starting to get quiet because of the online shopping phenomenon. Not long after, Ita closed her small stall at Pasar Aceh and switched to a home-based cake production business.
Over the years, her health began to decline.
During the Blue Indonesia Expedition (2015-2016), Ita helped organize the catalog of 80,000 Suparta Arz photo frames and captions that we uploaded on Facebook.
We still keep in touch and sometimes visit each other. Every time I go to Aceh, Ita and her family always ask for souvenirs for the family in Jakarta.
This morning, when I first opened my cellphone, the news came. Ita passed away on October 23, 2024, in the evening.
Farewell, Sis Ita.
Thank you for the friendship and the journey that we have gone through with our friends.
See you at the next ACEHKITA reunion. Greetings to Helmi and Radzie.[]
Obituari untuk Ita, Perempuan di Balik Kerja Kerja Jurnalis Konflik
Saya membaca sebuah postingan sedih di akun X Dandhy Dwi Laksono, mantan pemred acehkita.com, sebuah media massa online underground yang membuka banyak kasus selama operasi militer di Aceh, Indonesia. Dandhy mengabarkan meninggalnya Juwita Kesuma alias Kak Ita. Sebagai mantan jurnalis di acehkita.com, saya merasa sedih meski belum pernah berjumpa dengan Kak Ita. Mungkin kami pernah berjumpa di Jakarta atau Banda Aceh, saya yakin, dalam berbagai acara media. Namun saya tidak pernah mengingatnya.
Kak Ita bekerja di belakang layar, ia admin dan penjaga keuangan Acehkita. Berarti, honor saya yang saya terima saban bulan, merupakan hasil kerjanya—tentu dibantu dengan tim. Kak Ita berjasa terhadap jurnalis, termasuk saya.
Saya minta izin kepada Dandhy untuk memposting kabar sedih di blog Hive, biar ada jejak digital kepada jurnalis dan orang-orang yang mengenalnya. Di akhir posting, Dandhy juga menulis, “Salam untuk Radzie dan Helmi”. Keduanya adalah mantan jurnalis di Acehkita yang sudah lebih dulu meninggal dunia.
Di masa perang Aceh (2003-2005), disusul tsunami, Juwita Kesuma (Ita) adalah sosok kakak bagi kami semua, para jurnalis yang meliput.
Ia tak bersama kami di lapangan. Ia berjaga di belakang memastikan semua logistik dan administrasi diurus dengan baik.
Ita adalah admin dan penjaga keuangan di ACEHKITA, sebuah media alternatif yang kami dirikan di masa konflik dan Darurat Militer (19 Juli, 2003). Dua bulan setelah Presiden Megawati mengumumkan status Darurat Militer dan mengirim 40 ribu pasukan ke Aceh.
Dalam status Darurat Militer, semua aturan hukum normal tak berlaku. Termasuk UU Pers. Kami merasa tak aman dan tak leluasa meliput.
Maka kami putuskan bekerja "di bawah tanah". Ita memegang semua identitas jurnalis yang meliput dengan nama samaran atau identitas palsu karena alasan keamanan.
Disiplin, amanah, dan profesional. Itu yang membuat kami semua aman selama periode perang hingga perjanjian damai Helsinki ditandatangani, 15 Agustus 2005.
Di masa tsunami 2004, saat banyak organisasi "kebanjiran uang", Ita tak tertarik bekerja untuk lembaga-lembaga yang lebih besar. Pengalamannya mengelola berbagai organisasi di Aceh sejak era 1990-an, dan sebagai orang Aceh, membuatnya kebanjiran tawaran.
Tapi Ita memilih bersama kami di redaksi. Melanjutkan mengelola media kecil yang sedang menjadi saksi peristiwa kemanusiaan yang besar (perang dan bencana).
Setelah perang dan tsunami, Ita berusaha bertahan dengan berjualan pakaian di pasar Banda Aceh. Para jurnalis ACEHKITA pun keluar dari "persembunyiannya" dan kembali ke kehidupan dan pekerjaannya.
"Ita sekarang rajin nonton sinetron, karena harus lihat mode pakaian yang dipakai artis-artis. Karena besoknya pasti banyak orang cari," ceritanya suatu ketika.
Di hari lain, ia menelepon menanyakan jasa ekspedisi yang bisa membawa pakaian dagangan dari Tanah Abang ke Banda Aceh.
"Wah, bisnis di toko makin pesat, ya?" pancing saya.
Tapi beberapa tahun kemudian, ia mengeluh mulai sepi karena fenomena belanja online. Tak lama berselang, Ita menutup kios kecilnya di Pasar Aceh dan beralih usaha rumahan produksi kue.
Tahun-tahun itu kesehatannya mulai menurun.
Saat Ekspedisi Indonesia Biru (2015-2016), Ita membantu merapikan katalog 80.000 frame foto Suparta Arz dan caption yang kami unggah di Facebook.
Kami masih terus berkabar dan kadang bersilaturahmi. Setiap saya ke Aceh, Ita dan keluarga selalu menitipkan oleh-oleh untuk keluarga di Jakarta.
Pagi ini, saat pertama membuka handphone, kabar itu datang. Ita berpulang pada 23 Oktober 2024, menjelang petang.
Selamat jalan, Kak Ita.
Terima kasih untuk persahabatan dan perjalanan yang telah dilalui bersama kawan-kawan.
Sampai ketemu di reuni ACEHKITA berikutnya. Salam untuk Helmi dan Radzie.