Writers stand together against terror
Chisato Hara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF) is taking a stand against the terror that struck Bali on Oct. 1 -- almost three years after the devastating bombings of Oct. 12, 2002 -- by going ahead in a spirit of solidarity.
Due to run from Oct. 6 through Oct. 11 featuring world-class writers, publishers and lecturers from Indonesia and abroad in workshops, discussions and readings, at the time of printing, only three of about 100 writers, and only one among dozens of registered participants had canceled.
Part of this determination to proceed with the festival rests in the fact that it was established "initially (as) a reaction to the tragedy" of 2002, said festival director Janet De Neefe.
"The idea was to heal the wounds ... by the power of words," said De Neefe.
"Of course, we are sad, and we are saddened that this could happen again. At the same time, we can't let (terrorists) run our lives," she added.
The sentiment is echoed and supported by many of those involved in the festival, as is evident on the official UWRF website, www.ubudwritersfestival.com.
Richard Oh of QB Books and Metafor Publishing, who assisted in coordinating Indonesian writers -- and several international writers -- to appear at the festival, underlined that "we are the hosts", and thus had a responsibility to support the festival.
The entire Indonesian delegation is turning out in full support of the festival, including keynote speaker Arief Budiman -- a professor of Indonesian studies at a prominent Australian university -- and writer Budi Darma, who is considered one of the "fathers" of modern Indonesian literature.
The first bombings occurred almost exactly three years ago, Oh pointed out, giving "all the more reasons for us to be (at Ubud) in support of the Balinese people."
In addition, while the three key international writers -- Michael Ondaatje, Amitav Ghosh and Susan Kurosawa -- were either en route to or had already arrived in Bali when the suicide bombers struck, none have opted to turn back.
Indian author Ghosh even visited ground zero at Kuta Square to "pay my respects ... and to observe the response of the people".
"The Balinese people's response is amazing ... they don't think about who to blame," Ghosh noted. Instead, they tried to think how to understand the incident and to continue with their lives. "It's a completely different response ... I've never seen anything like it. It is moving."
Ghosh is no stranger to terror, having been present in New York on Sept. 11, 2001, and even earlier. living in India during the tumultuous 1980s. The recent bombings thus raised in him "a horrified sense of recognition ... it makes you despair, such acts are so senseless, crazy, without logic," he said, and while he was appalled, he was also "absolutely outraged" -- but also weary.
He is also fully behind the festival's plans: "I think it's exactly what must be done. It's obvious the festival must go ahead. If we allow these people to hijack our lives, they will win. We must carry on."
Australian writer Jan Cornall concurred and said, "From the moment I heard the news of the bombing I was certain that I would still attend the festival -- as a gesture of support for the Balinese people, the festival organizers and in defiance of being bullied into fear by the violent acts of a few extremists."
For her part, De Neefe is "optimistic that this year's festival will be as successful as it was last year". She also noted that, at least in Ubud, the reaction was "not at all like in 2002", and that the community appeared to be picking up their lives, quietly preparing for the Galungan celebration that falls on Oct. 5.
"We are fighting a war with words," she said.