Poet offers to recite the Koran

SEMARANG (JP): Poet Emha Ainun Najib, who has often been at odds with the military because of his critical poems, has politely turned down an offer by the local military chief to read his works, but he offered to recite the Koran instead.

"I will read verses from the Koran," Emha said of his planned appearance at the commemoration of Armed Forces (ABRI) day at the campus of the Diponegoro University.

"I've never written anything on the subject of ABRI and its close relations with the people," he said when asked about his reason not to read his poems. "It wouldn't be appropriate for me to read my poems because they're critical."

Emha has been repeatedly banned from reading his poems in the provinces over the past year because the military authorities deemed his work too critical.

Diponegoro Military Command Chief Maj. Gen. Soeyono had earlier asked Emha to contribute to the commemoration of ABRI Day by reading some of his poems.

Soeyono, who is an ardent art fan, however said he would leave the matter of censorship to his assistant in the command who oversees socio-political affairs.

Emha suggested that the military invite other poets "who write much more beautiful poems whose works are more widely acceptable."

He cited Wiji Thukul, Kuspriyanto, Namma and Leak.

Asked about the reason he could not write uncritical poems, Emha responded: "Nobody tells me how I should write, to criticize or not to criticize. It's a matter of principle." (har/emb)