Nurul fights for global justice

Nurul fights for global justice

A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Actress and activist Nurul Arifin has just been named a Young
Global Leader for her passionate efforts in campaigning for
social equality.

Nurul, a Bandung native, has worked with many non-governmental
organizations in raising public awareness on HIV/AIDS and women's
rights.

The World Economic Forum officially announced on Tuesday that
Nurul was among the first 237 young leaders to have been selected
and who had accepted the opportunity to take part in The Forum of
Young Global Leaders, working in close cooperation with the World
Economic Forum.

Among the young leaders selected from 8,000 candidates are
Nicole Kidman, Tiger Woods, J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame,
soccer player Zinedine Zidane and Yahoo! cofounder Jerry Yan.

"It's a surprise. I'm glad that I was appointed among many big
names, including world-famous celebrities. I still don't know how
the committee got my name," Nurul told The Jakarta Post on
Monday.

She said she received a phone call two months ago from a
nomination committee member, who told her about the selection of
Young Global Leaders.

Due to her poor English ability, Nurul asked her 10-year-old
daughter Maura to take the call and give her e-mail address to
the committee.

Nurul came to appreciate the prestige and aims of the forum
when Maura told her about the institution.

"Now, I'm taking intensive English lessons. I often declined
invitations to speak abroad because of my English. I'm not
confident enough to speak in English," she said.

It seems the former model is not daunted by anything and,
instead, relishes challenges.

"I shall concentrate on globalization and fundamentalism as
well as AIDS and women's issues in June at the Forum of Young
Global Leaders in Davos, Switzerland."

She expressed concern that the rise of fundamentalism in the
country was a response to globalization, which the poor perceived
to be a mode of domination by developed countries.

Nurul said the poor were vulnerable to fundamentalism,
especially religious fundamentalism, as the only way to resist
the injustices of globalization.

"Right now, I fear an increase of fundamentalism. This did not
happen in the past, when people respected pluralism," said Nurul,
who had just returned to the capital after a four-day visit to
Aceh.

Nurul said she was happy the international community was
working hand-in-hand with Indonesians to help tsunami survivors
without any political or religious discrimination, but was
saddened to learn that a Christian political party had been
prevented from contributing to the relief effort.

She was also dismayed by rumors that a local Islamic political
party had accused many Christian groups of taking advantage of
the aid effort as a cover for proselytizing.

"Helping victims should not be done in the name of any
political party. I refused when the Golkar Party wanted its name
to appear on clothing worn by our volunteers," she said.

The mother of two joined Golkar to include AIDS and women's
rights among the party's focus.

"Entering the system is one way to effect change," she said.

Nurul's dedication led to her nomination as a Golkar
legislative candidate in last year's general elections. Although
she had many supporters within the party, she did not make the
cut to the national-level elections.

She said the stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS was
still the main obstacle in the campaign against AIDS, and lauded
the recent decision by former South African president Nelson
Mandela to announce that his son had died of an AIDS-related
disease.

"I agree wholeheartedly that AIDS should be spoken about
openly. It would make AIDS like any other disease. It's not a
moral issue," she said, adding that AIDS was just one small
aspect of the broader injustices faced by women in Indonesia and
the world.

"Many urban women may say that they have no problems in their
lives. They should look at the data and reality here that show
that many women still suffer."

Last year's global campaign on HIV/AIDS focused on women of
all age groups, since they were most vulnerable to infection.

Nurul's commitment to these social issues led her to the
University of Indonesia, from which she graduated with a degree
in political and social sciences.

Meanwhile, Nurul is also an acclaimed film actress with five
Indonesian Film Festival nominations for best actress under her
belt, and acts in several soap operas.

She plans to pursue a Master's degree next year.

She said she became aware from her studies that many notions
of a woman's duty were really social constructs.

Although many cultures still discriminate against women, Nurul
said she would struggle for gender equality without abandoning
her own culture.

"Feminists in the West are different from those here, although
we also struggle for women's equality. I respect
multiculturalism."

Nurul hopes that the future world would be better for all and
uphold the principles of multiculturalism.

"Hegemony, injustice or monoculture, or the large gap between
developed and poor countries should no longer persist.

"They should be replaced, instead, by greater tolerance and
respect for different cultures," she said.