Good afternoon, and good wishes to all.
The esteemed Dr. Erwan Agus Purwanto, Dean of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. The esteemed Dr. Hilmar Farid, Director General of Culture at the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia. Esteemed teachers and academic community of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. Esteemed guests. Today is an important day for me, as I am coming “home” to my alma mater, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Gadjah Mada University. Previously, it was known as the department of Law, Economy, Social and Political Science. It was situated at Pagelaran, at the northern town square (alun-alun utara). After fifty-one years “the lost son” has been found by his “mother”. Fifty-one years is truly a long time in history. And that can even be longer if we do not act, if we do not dare to take a step to break the chains of silence. I thank the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of Gadjah Mada University, and in particular the Dean, who has taken the responsibility to resist the efforts of forgetting, which are ongoing. For fifty years, we have been made part of a political system that has enforced that which should be remembered and that which should be forgotten - to the extent that we have lost our awareness and our memories of the past. Both of which are very important to rebuild life today. This award is not for me, but for the hundreds of friends who disappeared and did not return. This award is also to remember and to give a voice and dignity to the victims of 1965, in an effort to express the truth, to rehabilitate and reconcile. I thank my wife and children who, with love and mutual affection fight together in a pilgrimage for humanity, to spread the seeds of civility and justice. I will end with a poem for my late friends Ibnu Santoro (lecturer at the Faculty of Economy) and Sunardi (lecturer at the Faculty of Pedagogy), as well as the students of Gadjah Mada University, who disappeared in 1965 and 1966. Hersri Setiawan #1965setiaphari #living1965
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on september thirty
a letter to my granddaughter setia 1 september thirty people still talk people still ask as if just a story about horror and tragedy what and what who and who why and why in this not knowing everyone talks, still fighting the truth history and stories become one washed away in foam angels of death laugh and celebrate amidst the moans of life being destroyed 2 in the midst of those who struggle piles of dirt are dug up piles of stories are opened up in the name of history, straightened a victory over the weak a victory over those who lost all in the name of history 3 in the midst of horror and tragedy i, your grandfather, want to return back to myself ash of history as an ash of history i follow the shadow of the sun not just for the moon but also to follow the mountains and forests inevitable i follow the flow of the wind not just for the patter of its wings but also with the seasons and storms inevitable my granddaughter, this is the era of democracy they say this is the era of reform they say what is the meaning then if it ends as a creed reform, democracy and what else the rumbling thunder of fall bash on the walls of power dissolve in a daydream these are not fables but a sign that the heart of tyranny is breathing is on fire 4 on this september thirty, setia the story is still the same playing lies playing humanity the red and white flowers still bloom flowers of freedom in the midst of struggle white doves still spread their wings wings of peace against a dry sky blue heaven heaven of hope humanity is still beating even very softly 5 setia, my granddaughter this month is the month of your birth also the month when your opa became ash ash of history forever Hersri Setiawan Translated into English by Ken Setiawan, 30 September 2015 #living1965 #1965setiaphari |
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