Voicing Restlessness through Literature<\/p>\n
Ketika Jurnalisme Dibungkam, Sastra Harus Bicara (When Journalism
\nis Repressed, Literature Should Speak Up)
\nBy Seno Gumira Ajidarma
\nBentang Budaya Foundation, Yogyakarta, October 1997
\n120 pages
\nISBN 979-8793-35-8<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The closing of print media through the
\nrevocation of publishing licenses has long been a nightmare for
\nmost people in the Indonesian media world.<\/p>\n
The strength of the government's hand in regulating journalism
\nshould never be underestimated. In 1974, 11 newspapers and
\nmagazines were closed following the so-called Malari, the Jan. 15
\nanti-Japanese riots. Two decades later, three weeklies, Tempo,
\nEditor and DeTik, suffered the same fate.<\/p>\n
Besides facing prohibitions and restrictions from the
\ngovernment, the press is also often forced to bow to external
\nvested interests, including those of proprietors. In this
\natmosphere it is difficult for journalists to realize their
\nideals or to reflect the true sociopolitical dynamics of society
\nin working toward the betterment of the people.<\/p>\n
How can journalists cope with this situation? How can they
\nmaintain their calling to voice the truth amid such strong press
\nconstraints?<\/p>\n
Seno Gumira Ajidarma, deputy editor of the Jakarta Jakarta
\nmagazine, gives answers to these questions in Ketika Jurnalisme
\nDibungkam Sastra Harus Bicara (When Journalism is Repressed
\nLiterature Should Speak Up). The 120-page book recounts the
\njournalist's experiences in struggling against press censorship.<\/p>\n
The closure of the Monitor tabloid in 1990 traumatized the
\nKompas-Gramedia Group, the biggest media entity in the country
\nthat has interests in many media, including ownership of Monitor
\nand Jakarta Jakarta. Since then the group has exercised extra
\nprecautions and excessive self-censorship.<\/p>\n
When Jakarta Jakarta pulled few punches in reporting the Dili
\nincident in November 1991, Ajidarma was reprimanded by the
\nmilitary. This warning frightened the senior management, which
\ntook further measure by temporarily transferring him and two
\nother colleagues to other departments.<\/p>\n
Ajidarma, however, refused to surrender to this repression
\n(page 33). Being a long-standing poet and writer, he turned to
\nliterature and wrote several short stories to "expose the
\nincident, as a kind of resistance" (page 82).<\/p>\n
For Ajidarma, the recipient of the 1997 Southeast Asia Write
\nAward, his interest in literature was born not from any
\npreoccupation with artistic language but from an intense
\ninvolvement in life. "Each short story, in fact each literary
\nwork, was born from an obsession, form something that incessantly
\nhaunted the mind" (Page 37).<\/p>\n
When, for instance, he was troubled by the despotic nature of
\nthe 1983 mysterious killings, Ajidarma wrote several short
\nstories which were later collected in Penembak Misterius
\n(Mysterious Killers).<\/p>\n
Similarly, when confronted with the brutality of the Dili
\nmassacre and the arrogance of the authorities who, at that time,
\ntried to hide the facts and heavily censor the press, he again
\nchanneled his restlessness through literature. Thus his
\ncollection of short stories Saksi Mata (Eyewitness) was born.<\/p>\n
As a personal recollection of the writer's journey in writing
\nand performing his journalistic tasks, Ketika Jurnalisme
\nDibungkam Sastra Harus Bicara is interesting. It provides both an
\ninsight into the creative process of the writer as well as a
\nbrief glimpse into press censorship in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
It is also easy to read, being written in a story-telling
\nstyle. Here and there, however, readers might be disturbed by the
\nlanguage, which may appear too emotional and a bit too harsh.
\nDespite this, for both aspiring writers and journalists this book
\nis well worth reading.<\/p>\n
-- Lucia Esti Elihami<\/p>\n
The reviewer, a kindergarten teacher, writes short stories.
\nHer works have been published in local media.<\/p>",
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