Support to Pramoedya<\/p>\n
The letter of protest signed on July 29, 1995 by 26 Indonesian
\nintellectuals, against the awarding of the Magsaysay literature
\nprize to Pramoedya Ananta Toer, will be deeply disappointing to
\nthe readers of Indonesian literature around the world.<\/p>\n
Internationally, Pramoedya is not just Indonesia's, but indeed
\nSoutheast Asia's, most celebrated author. He is the most
\ntranslated and most widely read Indonesian novelist. In world
\nliterature, Pramoedya is Indonesia's representative. He has been
\nnominated many times for the Nobel Prize for Literature and many
\nof us hope that he will, one day, bring the first Nobel award to
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
The judgment of 26 people, whatever their position in
\ncontemporary Indonesia, will not alter the place that Pramoedya
\nalready occupies in world literature. In that context, it is
\ndeeply regrettable that some literary figures in his own country
\nare unable to share the glory that Pramoedya brings to this
\nnation, and by extension, to all of Asia.<\/p>\n
It appears that the position of the 26 signatories is not
\nwidely shared in the Indonesian intellectual community.
\nSignificantly, the list does not include any prominent
\nintellectuals of the younger generation. Nor does it include some
\nof the most respected cultural figures of New Order Indonesia,
\nsuch as Arief Budiman and Goenawan Mohamad.<\/p>\n
It is possible that, by continuing to judge Pramoedya by a
\nparticular interpretation of LEKRA (the People's Cultural
\nInstitute -- leaned heavily toward communism in the early 1960s)
\npolitics of 1959 to 1965, the 26 signatories represent an
\nincreasingly anachronistic position, which is irrelevant to
\nIndonesia's future in a global cultural community.<\/p>\n
No one remembers the Soviet critics of Solzhenitsyn. So too,
\nwith or without the Magsaysay award, Indonesia will continue to
\nbe seen in world literature largely through Pramoedya's work,
\nlong after the current political issues are forgotten.<\/p>\n
KRISHNA SEN<\/p>\n
GEORGE ADITJONDRO<\/p>\n
DAVID HILL<\/p>\n
VEDI HADIZ<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/support-to-pramoedya-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }