Right activist says path he chose is hard

Right activist says path he chose is hard

JAKARTA (JP): Dutch-born human rights campaigner H.J.C. Princen celebrated his 70th birthday on Tuesday with a confession that the path he chose was rocky.

At a reception, during which he launched a book recounting his years of standing in opposition to the government, he told 250 guests that life as an activist has not been easy.

"Should any of you wish to become activists, I can only tell you to forget dreams of living in wealth and prosperity," Princen, known also as Poncke, said.

Activism offers another kind of life, he said. "Living as an activist will give you a different kind of satisfaction. Happiness emerges when we are able to help alleviate people's suffering, or the violence inflicted on them by authorities who are abusing their power."

Among his guests were leading dissidents Ali Sadikin and Sri Bintang Pamungkas. Human rights campaigners Adnan Buyung Nasution and T. Mulya Lubis, and writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer were also present.

Princen came to Indonesia in 1947 as a member of the Dutch Army, which was sent to crush the fledgling republic's guerrilla warfare against the Netherlands' attempts to reassert colonial rule. He defected and later became an Indonesian citizen.

"I did that because I believed Indonesia should be free, because every nation has the right to freedom," Princen said.

In another part of his speech, Princen expressed regrets over the absence of political parties which defend the rights of workers, farmers and fishermen.

"The constitution guarantees people's rights to establish parties," he said. "Why don't we make use of this guarantee?"

The book, entitled H.J.C. Princen 70 Years: Untiring Guerrilla Warfare, is a recollection of writings about Princen. Among the contributors are scholar Y.B. Mangunwijaya, Pramoedya Ananta Toer, former labor minister S.K. Trimurti, philosopher Franz Magnis Suseno, and Xanana Gusmao, imprisoned leader of the Fretilin pro-independence movement in East Timor.

The reception was organized by Sri Bintang Pamungkas.

Ali Sadikin said he admired Princen's steadfastness in his struggle for human rights here, even though he was not born Indonesian.

Princen was jailed by Sukarno, Indonesia's first president, and has also often earned the wrath of the current administration. (31)