Aceh is one of the provinces in Indonesia, Aceh is located at the tip of Sumatra Island and is the most western province in Indonesia. The population in Aceh is around 4,500,000.
Simpang Jegih is a subdistrict located in the hinterland of East Aceh, which is still far from the touch of development.
It has eight villages namely Melidi, Tampor Paloh, Tampor Boor, HTI Ranto Naro, Sumbang Stone, Simpang Jernih, Pante Kera, and Rantau Pajang.
The four villages of Melidi, Tampor Paloh, Tampor Boor, and HTI Ranto Naro do not yet have electricity from PLN, and live in the light of aid from ginsets or lamps.
During this time, the people of Melidi illuminate houses with lights or diesel power plants (ginset) - for people who can afford to buy and provide fuel.
However, by 2012, Melidi residents have been lit by "dimly lit" lights thanks to an electric current from PLTMH, which has become a local village asset. Although from the power plant, the resulting light is still dim, not perfect, and often extinguished.
The daily activities of the local people are farming. Besides the geographical conditions that are still difficult to pass, Gayo Simpang Jernih community, still friendly with nature. It is characterized by the surrounding communities still dependent on the forest products they make every day. Alim wood, candan and rattan is a wealth of jungle clear jungle that can still be utilized by citizens.
Likewise with some streams flowing in villages Gayo community there. Gods fish (Gayo: Iken Pedih, Lemeduk) is a favorite fish caught by citizens using traditional equipment.
While the agricultural activities of the community in Simpang Jernih only as a seasonal income. Many locals plant horticultural crops in addition to their income. Access roads are difficult, making people reluctant to plant these plants on a regular basis. Transportation of agricultural production is often a constraint.
There is no rice field area in Simpang Jernih. Sufficient for rice, people only rely on land-based rice cultivation (Gayo: Rom Deret or Rom Tajuk) which is passed down from generation to generation.
The forest is indeed a prima donna of Gayo Simpang Jernih community. Lack of public facilities to access roads make people prefer the forest rather than other cultivated crops. As described above, bringing his results is quite difficult to the urban center.
Keeping the forest means saving the life of the Simpang Jernih community. If forests are disturbed, their lives and income will be disrupted. Nature is friendly with them. However, the disturbance comes from the greedy foresters.