A friend asked me, “where is Buru island?”. I was surprised at his question. I never expected a question like that from a highly educated friend, who even studied abroad. Apparently, an education like that does not ensure people know about history. The more so, when the state has sought to erase that history purposefully.
Maybe it’s also because there is little information about this island at school or in books. But if we look up information on Google, there are more than 487.000 search results. The history of my nation is not only full of stories of heroes, but there are also many dark parts, which have been erased for the interests of those in power. The photo of this monument is one of the very few artefacts that remain on Buru island. A monument which is a proof of the repressive military regime led by Soeharto. Whisnu Yonar #1965setiaphari #living1965
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From Ambon, it takes a night to get to Buru Island with a ferry. Its broad savannas are a feast for the eyes. But behind that beauty, lies a story of cruelty, perpetrated by the state against thousands of political prisoners.
This island was used as a natural prison, but it has never been mentioned in history books. The state has never acknowledged that it banished thousands of prisoners there. They were subjected to slave labour, and because of that Buru now is a main supplier of rice for Eastern Indonesia. By continuing to talk about and discuss the island, we can remember what happened there and the role of the state in the 1965 tragedy. This island is a place where we can learn, so that history will not be repeated. Whisnu Yonar #1965setiaphari #living1965 |
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