Writers stand together against terror

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.