Pramoedya's Magsaysay award about human rights<\/p>\n
By Margaret Agusta<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (JP): Malaysia's intellectuals and educators see
\nthe objections to Pramoedya Ananta Toer's recent acceptance of
\nthe Ramon Magsaysay Award from the Philippines as the result of a
\nnarrow view of the man and his works.<\/p>\n
Tan Sri A. Samad Ismail of the Malaysian Language and
\nLiterature Board told The Jakarta Post during the Seminar on
\nComparative Literature, which ended Thursday, that the award \"has
\nto do with human rights\".<\/p>\n
\"It's about time Pramoedya was recognized,\" Samad Ismail said.
\n\"He should have been allowed to go to the Philippines to accept
\nthe prize. The restrictions on him must be dropped.\"<\/p>\n
\"People can say he doesn't deserve the prize, but we must
\nconsider the whole issue,\" he said. \"What's important is that he
\nwas locked up. His rights were taken away.\"<\/p>\n
Samad himself was imprisoned in Malaysia from 1976 through
\n1981 due to his outspokenness and political views.<\/p>\n
A group of Indonesian authors and intellectuals recently
\nsubmitted a letter of objection to the Magsaysay Foundation which
\nselects recipients for the prestigious prize.<\/p>\n
Mochtar Lubis, who is among the past recipients of the prize
\ndue to the humanitarian stance he takes in his writing and daily
\nlife, went so far as to travel to Manila to return his prize as a
\nway to protest the prize for Pramoedya. He said Pramoedya did not
\ndeserve the prize due to his past abuse of power.<\/p>\n
Mochtar Lubis and the other signatories of the letter,
\nincluding noted poet Taufiq Ismail and playwright Ikranagara,
\nobjected to Pramoedya's acceptance of the prize because of his
\nactions during the early 1960s.<\/p>\n
At that time, Pramoedya held a top post at the Lembaga
\nKebudayaan Rakyat (Lekra, the People's Cultural Institute), which
\nwas the cultural arm of the now defunct Indonesian Communist
\nParty, and was either an editor or an influential presence at
\nseveral newspapers and magazines in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The signatories of the letter say that Pramoedya
\nsystematically suppressed the voices of writers, journalists and
\nintellectuals who did not adhere to his leftist ideology. They
\nhold Pramoedya responsible for what they call the \"witch hunt\"
\nwhich cost many journalists their jobs due to his influence in
\nthe printed media at the time.<\/p>\n
Some of them also believe that Pramoedya was behind actual
\nphysical attacks on dissidents and their homes.<\/p>\n
\"Where's the proof of what he did in the past?\" Samad Ismail
\nasked.<\/p>\n
Ahmad Kamal Abdullah, the organizer of the seminar and
\npresident of the Malaysian Comparative Literature Association,
\nwas also of the opinion that Pramoedya has been punished enough
\nand that any further restrictions would be excessive.<\/p>\n
\"Pramoedya has already served his prison sentence,\" Ahmad, who
\nis better known as Komala, said.<\/p>\n
\"Pramoedya is widely known for his writing, it seems strange
\nto the rest of the world that Indonesia should reject his work,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"His works are textbooks in Malaysia. Indonesia will be left
\nfar behind if it doesn't confront and discuss his thinking. This
\nwould be a shame,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Nur Zina Zuhra, an associate professor of literature at the
\nDepartment of English Language and Literature at the
\nInternational Islamic University Malaysia, confirmed that
\nPramoedya's texts were being used to teach Malay literature.<\/p>\n
\"We use his writing to focus on the role of Moslems and what
\nshortcomings may exist in the actual living of the religion,\" she
\nsaid. \"Pramoedya particularly in Gadis Pantai, points out that
\nwhat is said and what is done do not always come together.\"<\/p>\n
Komala said he believed that healthy and constructive
\ncriticism requires dialog. High quality literature can inspire
\npeople to think about moral issues and humanitarianism.<\/p>\n
Samad Ismail was of the opinion that bygones should be
\nbygones. \"Even the Philippines is consolidating and forgiving.
\nMarcos people are making a comeback into the public forum now,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"There is now a healing process of reconciliation and
\naccommodation there,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Komala and Samad both felt that writers have a moral
\nobligation to speak out against injustice and abuse of human
\nrights.<\/p>\n
\"Authors may not have influence now as politicians, economists
\nand entrepreneurs, but it is through intellectuals that
\nhumanitarianism is felt,\" Samad Ismail said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pramoedyas-magsaysay-award-about-human-rights-1447893297",
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