Putu Oka finds no life without hope

For Nov. 30

Christina Schott Contributor Jakarta

There are three things associated with Putu Oka Sukanta's name -- literature, traditional health treatment and commitment to human rights -- but none stands out over the others.

The 64-year-old Balinese is one of the country's most important authors; a well-known acupuncturist; and second chairman of the National Naturopathic Association of Indonesia.

In the last decade, he has focused on an alternative medical treatment for people with HIV/AIDS and the fight against their discrimination.

At first glance, the fields are different, but they have something very important in common: All of them do show a deep interest in people, not only from their physical well-being but their mental and social aspects as well.

"I really know what it feels like to be discriminated against and stigmatized," the former political prisoner said. "This is actually the same motivation why I fight for people with HIV/AIDS -- to end their discrimination and stigmatization."

Putu Oka was born the son of a farmer in Singaraja, Bali, but soon showed skills very different from the rest of his family.

"From a very early age, I didn't feel satisfied with the social conditions of my environment -- so I never stopped asking why, why, why. For example, why should only a member of the highest cast be able to fulfill the criteria for being a Hindu priest?"

Having published his first short stories at the age of 16, the young writer was alone among his four siblings in going on to university after high school.

To earn a living during his study of pedagogy in Yogyakarta, he worked as an assistant teacher. As a freelance writer and an accused member of Lekra, a cultural organization linked to the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), Putu Oka was imprisoned in Jakarta following the abortive coup blamed on the party in 1965.

Although paper and pen were strictly forbidden items during his 10 years in jail, he was still "recording" stories in his head.

"A writer struggling for human rights and dignity will never stop writing, even if he must write on sky, clouds, and wind -- on light and darkness," he wrote in his essay Writing is a Struggle for Life.

He continued: "Oppression, insults to human dignity, starvation, sadistic torture and killing will be recorded by whatever means possible, even when these actions occur in the hidden cells of a prison. Prison is a place that affords time for deep spiritual reflection".

In 1969, he shared a cell with the Chinese doctor Lie Tjuan Sien, who offered to teach his co-prisoner Chinese traditional medicine. Despite the fact they had neither books nor instruments, Putu Oka learned the basics of acupuncture and traditional healing from the doctor, including the holistic view of health as a balance of body, mind and spirit that guides him until today.

"We worked together, first in theory. Later the people in prison became my practice. In this way, I indeed got a lot of experience during seven years," Putu Oka said.

Due to the lack of needles, he primarily practiced acupressure, but later created acupuncture needles out of guitar strings.

Once released, the passionate writer immediately started to use his pen again, mostly in reflections on his experiences.

"Writing became my personal medicine and self-therapy," Putu Oka said, although he was still barred from publishing his works.

However, he did get a license to practice acupuncture and was allowed to go for training in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

In 1989, he took up an invitation from Goethe-Institute and went to Germany and the Netherlands. Back in Indonesia, he was imprisoned and tortured again. After 10 days he was released, but he said he was still constantly monitored by officials and intelligence agents.

It was only after Soeharto's fall in 1998 that the damning "E.T." -- standing for ex-political prisoner -- was erased from his identity card, and also that of his wife and son.

Finally, he was free to travel to Australia, Canada, Sweden, the U.S. and Hawaii, where he was invited for readings about his different activities.

Despite all his traumatic experiences, Putu Oka seems to be very balanced -- a result of the holistic view of life he learned in prison.

The tall Balinese with a crop of thick white hair is one of those rare personalities that immediately instills respect in others.

"My inner strength is, maybe, that I never gave up hope. And I refuse until today to be broken by anger or the wish for revenge," he explained.

"My past is my backbone and I cannot live without it. But I do not have to think about it all the time -- there are still other tasks to fulfill."

For example, he puts his energy into alternative health treatment and training for people who cannot afford expensive conventional medical treatment or Western medicine.

Apart from his always crowded acupuncture practice in East Jakarta, Putu Oka, together with his wife Endah, has led Taman Sringanis in Bogor, a center for the conservation of healing plants and the development of alternative health care, since 1992.

In its idyllic sample garden with around 400 partly endangered healing plants from all over the country, Taman Sringanis provides a small clinic and a jamu (traditional herbal medicine) shop, as well as regular training for groups.

From phone company PT Telkom employees to the Association of Church Women, people from almost every part of society come here to learn about the use of medicinal plants and acupressure.

"We want to strengthen the potential of the simple people, our aim is to transform the awareness of their right and duty in the field of health," he said.

The garden has also enabled Putu Oka to conduct research on alternative health treatment for HIV/AIDS, which has gained him international recognition. Besides medication, he also approaches the problem from its complex social aspects.

He has written several books on the subject, including some short stories.

"We need a decriminalization of people with HIV/AIDS, that were always thought as drug users, foreign and gay people or other 'sinners'," he said.

"Compared to 10 years ago, we have already made huge progress in the perceptions of society, since some of them (people with HIV/AIDS) even dare to come out on television now. But still, they need the goodwill and a common understanding to get rid of their stigma," he added.

"This is only possible through greater education of society, implementing critical awareness and independent decisions by the people. We will see if the Indonesian government is ready for that."