Award for Pramudya

Award for Pramudya

The Jakarta Post, Aug. 4, 1995 quoted me as saying "...not
only supported the ban but also demanded that the Ramon Magsaysay
Award Foundation in Manila scrap its decision to grant the award
to Pramudya."

I was amazed, I never said that, and never wrote anything to
that effect. It was a gross misquotation, presumably done by some
reporter in Rembang, Aug. 2, 1995, when Arief Budiman discussed
the statement to be sent to the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation
(RMAF), signed by 26 Indonesian writers.

The draft of the statement that Arief gave to some reporters
was in English, and he was not supposed to give it to anybody in
the first place. It should have been embargoed until sent to
Manila, Friday, Aug. 4, 1995, noon. However, it was my error that
I did not forewarn him. The same gross misquotation was also
printed in Suara Merdeka, Semarang, on Aug. 3, 1995.

In line with said statement, as one of its signatories, I
would like to make myself clear here that I do not, I repeat, I
do not seek revocation of the Magsaysay literary award for
Pramudya, nor did I say that I support the ban. If I did, then
I'd be aping the behavior of Lekra (People's Cultural Institute),
the communist inspired organization. The statement tries to
enlighten the RMAF on the role of Pramudya in suppressing the
freedom of creativity during the "guided democracy" years.

Rechecking news sources is certainly the best way to avoid
errors.

TAUFIQ ISMAIL

Jakarta