Rights award honors missing Wiji Thukul

Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Saiyem, in her 70s, broke down in tears, and a prolonged, languished cry was occasionally heard during a speech made by founder of the Human Rights Study Center (Yapusham) Todung Mulya Lubis on Tuesday.

What triggered the thin, weak-looking mother to cry was the very name Todung singled out in his award ceremony speech: Wiji Thukul, a well-known rights activist labeled as rebellious poet.

Wiji Thukul, which means the growing seeds in Javanese, was awarded the 2002 Yap Thian Hien human rights award.

Wiji, who has been missing since 1998, deserved the award, presented annually to committed human rights fighters, because he was not only fighting for human rights but also lifted human dignity and values, Todung said.

"In a country where rights abuses are rampant, Wiji fights through words. Some of his works have become weapons used by fellow activists and students in their movement."

"Wiji's poems are all simply worded, contemplative, bitter, sensitive, and at the same time, very political. He voiced injustices and exposed the true face of authoritarianism," said Todung.

However, nobody knew how Saiyem, Wiji's mother, felt, as she gave no response when asked. Her son, Wiji Thukul, whose real name was Wiji Widodo, has not returned since 1998.

Saiyem (left in picture) could never have imagined attending an award ceremony in honor of her beloved son.

She could not control her emotions, which ran high, because her family, including Wiji's father Wito, Wiji's younger brother, Wahyu Susilo, as well as Wiji's wife and two children, became the target of camera flashlights and intermittent spotlights during the ceremony.

Her beloved son, a painter and an occasional becak (pedicab) driver, was named a hero although he had not returned.

Before the rights medal was awarded to Wiji's wife, Siti Dyah Sujirah (right in picture), better known as mbak (elder sister) Sipon, Wiji's name was called and he was given 30 seconds to go to the stage.

But he did not show up. Nobody knew his whereabouts.

The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) declared two-and-a-half years ago the father of 13-year-old Fitri Nganti Wani and eight-year-old Fajar Merah a person "forced to disappear."

During the ceremony to present the rights award, Sipon held tight her mother-in-law with one hand while her other hand continually wiped tears from her eyes.

"The bitter days are over when our houses were ransacked and watched for days on end, although my family has had to pay for the loss of a son, father, husband and brother."

"However, I am lucky because I can still see my children growing but I can't imagine how my husband feels for not being able to see his beloved children," she said before the ceremony, which was held at the National Museum in Central Jakarta.

During the ceremony, Wiji's daughter Wani read a poem, Untuk Bapakku dan Orde Baru (For my father and the New Order), which she said she had written herself.

"I'm proud of my father but I don't want to be like him. He did not return and it makes my grandmother and mother very sad," Wani said steadily.