Poet offers to recite the Koran<\/p>\n
SEMARANG (JP): Poet Emha Ainun Najib, who has often been at
\nodds with the military because of his critical poems, has
\npolitely turned down an offer by the local military chief to read
\nhis works, but he offered to recite the Koran instead.<\/p>\n
\"I will read verses from the Koran,\" Emha said of his planned
\nappearance at the commemoration of Armed Forces (ABRI) day at the
\ncampus of the Diponegoro University.<\/p>\n
\"I've never written anything on the subject of ABRI and its
\nclose relations with the people,\" he said when asked about his
\nreason not to read his poems. \"It wouldn't be appropriate for me
\nto read my poems because they're critical.\"<\/p>\n
Emha has been repeatedly banned from reading his poems in the
\nprovinces over the past year because the military authorities
\ndeemed his work too critical.<\/p>\n
Diponegoro Military Command Chief Maj. Gen. Soeyono had
\nearlier asked Emha to contribute to the commemoration of ABRI Day
\nby reading some of his poems.<\/p>\n
Soeyono, who is an ardent art fan, however said he would leave
\nthe matter of censorship to his assistant in the command who
\noversees socio-political affairs.<\/p>\n
Emha suggested that the military invite other poets \"who write
\nmuch more beautiful poems whose works are more widely
\nacceptable.\"<\/p>\n
He cited Wiji Thukul, Kuspriyanto, Namma and Leak.<\/p>\n
Asked about the reason he could not write uncritical poems,
\nEmha responded: \"Nobody tells me how I should write, to criticize
\nor not to criticize. It's a matter of principle.\" (har\/emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/poet-offers-to-recite-the-koran-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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