Quit playin' games with my heart

apa memang seorang 'Maya' harus bernasib maya dalam perasaan yang maya? Apa memang batas antara maya dan tak maya bagiku begitu absurd? Apa memang aku hanya menjadi "pengemis cinta" atau "pemulung cinta"? Yang memungut kepingan hati yang tercecer, merangkumnya, memperbaikinya, tapi toh.. Selamanya bukan milikku. Apa memang selamanya aku hanya bayangan, tak pernah nyata dalam dunia yang bernama cinta? Selamanya hanya bisa menerima dan pasrah. Kadang aku benci pada darah Jawaku yang membuatku terikat pada paham kasat mata yang membuatku begitu 'nrimo' pada apapun khususnya pada masalah perasaan, aku benci pada ideologi kasat mata yang mengalir dalam aliran darahku yang membuatku harus memendamnya terus, kusimpan untuk diri sendiri. Betapa ku ingin sekali bisa seperti saudara - saudaraku yang bisa bicara ceplas - ceplos tanpa peduli perasaan orang lain, yang bisa bilang dan memaksakan kalo perlu atas apa yang mereka inginkan. Al, berulang kali sudah kukatakan bahwa pilihanmu cuma 'take it or leave it' dan aku menunggu kepastian itu. Lebih cepat lebih baik supaya ku tak terikat janji lagi, janji yang membuat hatiku tak bisa merasakan musim panas lagi, janji yang membuatku tercabik antara mimpi dan terjaga, ada dan tiada. Al, I Wish I Could be a little more Papuan like my siblings, yang bisa bilang dan kalo perlu mengultimatum ko "neh ko stop usik2 sapu hidup suda. Ko bkn mcm ko inti saja. Ko sakiti sa tau. Ko kira ko sendiri laki2 di dunia ni ka?", tapi ko tahu kan kalo sa tra bisa kasi keluar kata2 itu untuk ko, karena ko akan terluka, begitu juga sa, karena sa akan sangat menafikan apa yang sa rasa untuk ko kan? Sa cuma ingin bilang " quit playing game with my heart, please!" 'cuz everybody hurts

Jatuh-Cinta

kalau bisa memilìh, aku ingin bisa menghapusmu seluruhnya dari hidupku, tanpa ada satu unsur, sel, senyawa atau apapun yang mengingatkanku untukmu. Al, temanku pernah bilang "cintailah orang yang mencintai kamu, dan bukannya orang yang kamu cinta". Memang dia benar kan, kau selalu bilang mencintaiku tapi pada saat yang sama, aku terikat padamu karena kau orang yang aku cinta. Tapi rasa gado -gado itu kembali lagi, dan ku tak bisa tahan, tak bisa bersembunyi lagi bahwa cinta ini menyakitiku tapi juga kadang menguatkanku. Tapi sa capek Al, capek, jenuh, lelah. Sa ingin normal, balik lagi jadi manusia yang bisa kembali dalam sapu hidup di musim panas, yang tidak begitu gloomy seperti ini. Sa ingin jatuh cinta lagi sama bunga - bunga, pohon - pohon dan udara. Jatuh cinta yang buat sa rasa lepas bebas sebelum sa kenal ko. Jatuh cinta pada bebatuan mungil yang sa lihat di taman. Andai saja ko beri sa kepastian dengan kalimat itu " sa su tra cinta ko lagi. Sa benci ko". Dan sa akan lega!

rasa gado-gado

kenapa rasa itu kembali lagi usai berpuluh jingga kusekap dia dalam kotak kayu kenangan? Rasa sakit campur kecewa campur sedih campur marah itu. Rasa gado - gado ini tiba - tiba membangunkan akalku saat hendak berangkat tidur, dan hati ini terasa sakit sekali. Rasa tercampakkan, kecewa, sedih, marah, sakit hati, tapi toh, kenapa aku tak pernah bisa membencimu dan berteriak kasar padamu? Kenapa aku tak bisa sekalipun berteriak memakimu, menamparmu, mengayunkan tendangan, atau sekedar meninjumu? Kenapa aku tak bisa meludah tanah di depanmu untuk menunjukkan semua rasa gado - gado ini dan memilih menangis sendiri melepas tekanan emosi ini? Entahlah aku tahu. Al, kau tahu, rasa campur aduk itu masih tetap ada, mereka tak bisa kuperangkap lebih lama. Mereka memberontak, mencoba menerjang pusat maafku yang selalu kukucurkan untukmu. Entahlah. Apa aku masokis yang bahagia disakiti terus? Entahlah. Yang kutahu, aku sudah tak merasa perbedaan antara bahagia atau tak bahagia bersamamu karena semuanya nisbi. Entahlah aku mati rasa, berhenti berharap.

The winter blessing (english version)

The digital watch in my notebook screen shows 7.59 p.m. of 13th June 2009. Suddenly, there is something struck my mind, how life runs so fast. Nothing left but the blur shadows, trying to dump any trace in my mind’s tract.

It’s a winter time, and yesterday, 12th June 2009 was named as the coldest day in Canberra’s History, I mean in the last 44 years ago, yesterday was the worst. That’s what my housemates (Yanti ‘n Nisa) told me based on what they heard in uni and workplace. I have nothing to say since I am just a newcomer in this city, and it is definitely my first winter. I bet that Yanti ‘n Nisa know much better than me about this particular weather since they were brought up here; in Canbee. All I know is that yesterday was the first day of my exam and that’s the time for such tricky exam called Semantics. I thank God because I could make it.

It was absolutely cold esp. for me; a tropical-hot-weather-freak, but I thank God that I ‘survived’ in tackling the cold at 8 a.m., I mean when I waited for the bus in such 0 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes in an open bus stop of the dense foggy morning. I thank God that I could answer such 8 tough questions in my two-hours exam. Still could laugh and hanging out with Ellen, Lisna, Roudo in Asian Bistro, and on the way to the civic, we just passed through such museum-like room in Archeology department. A room full of an ancient artifacts shares such different feeling when I walked passed it, so beautiful, and guess what, I have just realize that this sort-of-exhibition-room (does) exist in my uni after 5 months I have became the student in ANU. Poor me! I thank God that I still could wander around in Canberra centre seeking for any bikini or swimmer but unfortunately, I could find any item that I wanted, but … the end of financial years sale was there. What a truly beautiful escape since some items of outfit were successfully move into my shoppin bag ^_^

This week, I have grumbled, complaint on something especially the weather and forget to give thank. I also forget to count my blessings. Then, something happened when I read a comment in my Facebook wall from my old friend; Harton. It’s like a slap in the face. Ooops God, forgive me!
In the afternoon of the same day, while I was cooking and doing my dishes, gazed somewhere outside my backyard and was thinking about the weather, then, there was something in my heart like a simple reminder to me; a voice within me kept saying to me, “May, count your blessings. Let’s count!”. My mind, all of sudden, flew a thousand mile to a homeless in Melbourne; A big Caucasian woman that I saw sleeping near the heaps of ATM near the Flinder Station. How can she cope the chilly weather of winter? I gasped and said: “ Thanx God, You’been so good to me. I still have such a warm house to live in.”. Then, I noticed the pile of veal that was marinated in front of me and the glass of chocolate milk in my kitchen desk, and felt so much ‘awakening’. I realized then how much God loves me, even in this winter, and … I forget to give thank recently and kept complaining about the weather. However, thank God to remind me about count my blessings.

So, I have tried to count my blessing during this winter:

#1. The breath that is still in me;

#2. A better progress in my health condition, I still can go anywhere, getting on the bus even though still lean a little bit on my walking stick;

#3. There is the food in my fridge, can buy the meat and have the fruit juice and milk everyday, sufficient medicines, multivitamin, fish oils, etc;

#4. I still have the fully access on my bank account and can afford my needs, still have money to have fun and buy some books. Meanwhile, somewhere in this planet, there were so many people working all day through just for such 1/20 out of my ‘wages’ in a month.

#5. I still live in such warm room provided by central heating, electricity, and a very fast internet connection;

#6. I can take a bath everyday and just need to switch the water tap in obtaining the water which is safe to drink. Meanwhile, in other places, there were so many people walks wearily for miles in order to obtain the water which somehow needs further treatment to make it safe to drink, and sometimes, that happens on winter;

#7. I still can read some books and write something today, while in other places, there are some illiterate people who have been fooled due to their illiteracy.

#8. My dad and lil’ sista keep texts to me; saying hi and shares jokes;

#9. There are comments, posts from friends, e-mails, in my Facebook account, Gmail, Yaswarau, etc .. it means, I am alive and exist.

#10. I still can laugh when I watch my favorite cartoon series in TV, it means my senses works;

#11. I have got a call from a friend in Melbourne just for chit-chat. It means, I have been surrounded by friends;

#12. I still can walk outside and feel warm since I have such a warm winter clothes, even though some of the outfits are second-hand clothes, but these stuffs definitely help me a lot in winter time;

#13. I could answer almost 70 % of the exam question yesterday, it means that I could understand the instruction in English and could think logically in providing the answers in such chilly time;

#14. I still can do so many things in my life;

So, I can only say that “You’ve been so good to me, Jesus. I am so grateful for this chance to live. Teach me O Lord, to always count my blessings and to give thank in any situation including during the cold weather.”

So, let’s count our blessings!

(Canberra, 13 Juni 2009)

lelaki-bukan-Al

entahlah, malam ini kok susah tidur ya. Malah pi ingat seseorang yang bukan Al. Seseorang yang entahlah, apa memang sa pernah jatuh cinta sama dia ya? Atau de memang pernah suka sa ka? Entahlah. Tapi kenapa de yang muncul saat ini di sapu otak, jam2 kecil begini lagi. Apa karena pengaruh dingin jadi otak 'beku' jadi error2

. Dia... Entahlah. Sa menikmati dekat dengan dia sih sebenarnya, nyaman sekali. Bisa ngobrol apa saja. Tertawa, baku ganggu, diskusi. Tapi entahlah, su lama tong tra bicara - bicara lagi. Sa rindu tawanya sebenarnya. Tapi entahlah, dari dulu sa tra berani berharap lebih, karna sa tra yakin dengan statusnya. Tau diri lah saja. Jadi mending diam - diam saja kagumi, malu juga kan kalo orang yang bersangkutan tahu. Bisa - bisa sa su tra bisa nikmati tawanya lagi kelak, walau hanya sebagai teman. Kenapa sih ada perasaan aneh seperti ini ka? Entahlah, sa nyaman saja dekat n ngobrol deng dia.

Macam mo nyanyi lagunya Kahitna 'andai dia tahu' atau D'cinnamon ka... Laki - laki tanah seh, kam pu itam manis tuh trada yg blok ka... Abis macam sinyal dari dia masih KJ jadi ooo, takut salah artikan hehehe. Tapi nih jg tanda - tanda sa mengkhianati Al ka? Sa bingung. Harusnya perasaan ini untuk Al saja, apa karena mimpi hamil n dititipi bayi lg hari ini? Entahlah. Yang pasti lelaki-bukan-Al nih bikin sa sulit tidur saja hari ini ooo

With no immediate cause

Sa ingin membagikan salah satu puisi favorit sa “ With No Immediate Cause” atau dalam Melayu – Papua “tanpa stoom” atau tanpa penyebab sebelumnya. Puisi ini diperkenalkan oleh sa pu seorang dosen ; Ms Yanti, waktu sa masih kuliah di UNIPA. Puisi ini pernah sa dan teman – teman kuliah buat sebagai pementasan kelas, maupun pementasan fakultas dalam rangka memperingati hari emansipasi wanita. Puisi ini ditulis oleh seorang perempuan Amerika keturunan Afrika bernama asli Paulette Williams. Namun kemudian ia mengganti namanya sebagai salah satu upaya mencari jati diri. Ia menggantinya memakai nama dalam bahasa Afrika “Ntozake Zhange” yang artinya, Ntozake “dia (perempuan) yang datang/ tiba dengan milik kepunyaannya sendiri” dan Shange “yang berjalan bagaikan singa”.



Ia cukup keras menyuarakan suara kulit hitam Amerika dalam karyanya, khususnya yang berkenaan dengan hak perempuan. Pada beberapa hal, sa cukup terpengaruh dengan gaya menulisnya yang memakai kata biasa, tak bersayap tapi menyentuh. Karya Ntozake Shange cukup mengejutkan pada awal peluncuran karyanya karena kata – katanya yang kasar dan seperti laporan jurnalistik. Karyanya dikenal kaya akan kritik dan protes sosial khususnya suara kaum perempuan. Tapi, ditinjau dari sudut sastra, karyanya masuk dalam kategori sastra marjinal yang eksotis dan tentu saja bukan karya kanon. Bahasanya kelihatan biasa padahal banyak hal dan simbol yang dimuat dalam karya ini.



Btw, selamat menikmati dan cobalah untuk membacanya dari sudut pandang perempuan yang terluka dan dari sudut pandang sastra.





Salam hangat,





D. Meimosaki



===================

WITH NO IMMEDIATE CAUSE



By Ntozake Shange



every 3 minutes a woman is beaten
every five minutes a
woman is raped/every ten minutes
a lil girl is molested
yet i rode the subway today
i sat next to an old man who
may have beaten his old wife
3 minutes ago or 3 days/30 years ago
he might have sodomized his
daughter but i sat there
cuz the young men on the train
might beat some young women
later in the day or tomorrow
i might not shut my door fast
every 3 minutes it happens
some woman’s innocence
rushes to her cheeks/pours from her mouth
like the betsy wetsy dolls have been torn
apart/their mouths
menses red & split/every
three minutes a shoulder
is jammed through plaster and the oven door/
chairs push thru the rib cage/hot water or
boiling sperm decorate her body
i rode the subway today
& bought a paper from a
man who might
have held his old lady onto
a hot pressing iron/i don’t know
maybe he catches lil girls in the
park & rips open their behinds
with steel rods/i can’t decide
what he might have done i only
know every 3 minutes
every 5 minutes every 10 minutes/so
i bought the paper
looking for the announcement
the discovery/of the dismembered
woman’s body/the
victims have not all been
identified/today they are
naked and dead/refuse to
testify/one girl out of 10’s not
coherent/i took the coffee
& spit it up/i found an
announcement/not the woman’s
bloated body in the river/floating
not the child bleeding in the
59th street corridor/not the baby
broken on the floor/
there is some concern
that alleged battered women
might start to murder their
husbands & lovers with no
immediate cause”

i spit up i vomit i am screaming
we all have immediate cause
every 3 minutes
every 5 minutes
every 10 minutes
every day
women’s bodies are found
in alleys & bedrooms/at the top of the stairs
before i ride the subway/buy a paper/drink
coffee/i must know/
have you hurt a woman today
did you beat a woman today
throw a child across a room
are the lil girl’s panties
in yr pocket

did you hurt a woman today
i have to ask these obscene questions
the authorities require me to
establish
immediate cause
every three minutes
every five minutes
every ten minutes
every day.



TERJEMAHAN BEBAS:



Tiap 3 menit, seorang perempuan dipukul. Tiap 5 menit, seorang perempuan diperkosa, Tiap 10 menit, seorang gadis cilik di lecehkan. Namun aku masih tetap naik kereta api bawah tanah hari ini. Kududuk di samping seorang lelaki tua yang mungkin pernah memukul istrinya yang tua 3 menit lalu atau 30 hari lalu. 30 tahun lalu, Dia mungkin pernah menyodomi anak perempuannya … tapi aku duduk di sana, karena para lelaki muda di kereta ini mungkin memukuli para perempuan muda, pada kemudian hari ataupun esok hari. Aku tak akan menutup pintuku terburu – buru.

Tiap 3 menit, terjadi lagi. Kepolosan perempuan lenyap, mengalir dari mulutnya seperti boneka yang tercabik – cabik. Mulutnya bersemu merah dan pecah. Tiap 3 menit, ada bahu yang terdorong menghantam tembok dan pintu dapur, kursi – kursi yang terhantam pada rusuk, entah air panas atau sperma yang menodai badan perempuan itu.

Aku naik kereta api bawah tanah hari ini, kubeli surat kabar dari seorang pria yang mungkin tega menyetrika istrinya. Aku tak tahu, mungkin ia juga yang menangkap para gadis cilik di taman dan menganiaya mereka hingga terluka dengan antena baja di punggung mereka. Aku tak dapat putuskan apa yang telah dia lakukan. Aku hanya tahu setiap 3 menit, setiap 5 menit, setiap 10 menit (ada perempuan yang terluka).

Akhirnya kuputuskan membeli koran, mencari pengumuman tentang temuan, untuk mengenang perempuan yang dimutilasi, korban yang tak dikenali. Hari ini mereka telanjang dan mati. Aku menolak katakan bahwa 1 dari 10 orang, itu tak logis. Kuambil kopi dan kuterkejut. Sebuah pengumuman. Bukan tubuh perempuan gembung yang terapung, bukan pula kanak – kanak yang berdarah di koridor jalan 59, bukan pula bayi yang jatuh ke lantai, kuperhatikan ada para perempuan yang sering dianiaya mungkin mulai membunuh suami dan kekasih mereka ‘tanpa stoom’.

Aku meludah, muntah dan menjerit. Kita semua terkena efek langsung sebelumnya. Tiap 3 menit, tiap 5 menit, tiap 10 menit. Setiap hari. Tubuh perempuan ditemukan di lorong dan kamar tidur. Di atas tangga sebelum aku naik kereta, membeli koran dan minum kopi. Aku harus tahu. Apakah kau menyakiti perempuan hari ini? Apakah kau memukul seorang perempuan hari ini? Melempar anak kecil ke dalam ruang, apakah kau menyimpan pakaian dalam anak perempuan di sakumu?

Apakah kau menyakiti perempuan hari ini?

Kuharus tanyakan pertanyaan – pertanyaan cabul ini, yang berwenang mengijinkanku membuat ‘efek langsung tanpa stoom’. Tiap 3 menit, tiap 5 menit, tiap 10 menit. Setiap hari



Sumber puisi:



http://iambecauseweare.wordpress.com/2006/09/09/with-no-immediate-cause-byntozake-shange/



Info detail tentang penyair ini, bisa dibaca di:



http://www.bridgesweb.com/blacktheatre/shange.html?ref=Sex%C5%9Ehop.Com



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ntozake_Shange

Black is beautiful

Sa ingin bagi salah satu sa puisi favorit semasa kuliah, sebenarnya ini lagu tapi kemudian dibukukan dan dilabel sebagai puisi. Lagu ini judulnya “Black is Beautiful” dan awalnya dinyanyikan oleh Nancy Wilson pada era black movement di jamannya Marthen Luther King di Amerika pada tahun 1950an. Sa lupa siapa pecinta puisi dan lirik ini. Btw, sa sertakan terjemahan harafiahnya. Unsur seninya sih pada versi asli bahasa Inggris yang ada rimanya, jadi dibacanya dengan pola meternya ‘iambic’ dan juga penuh dengan bahasa kiasan (figure of speech) dalam bentuk ‘simile’.

Salam hangat,

D. Meimosaki
============================


Black is Beautiful

Black is the velvet of the midnight sky
Black is so beautiful it makes you cry
Black is oil, Black is coal
Black is soil, Black is soul
Black is you and me
Black is beautiful, don\'t you see?

Black is an onyx that is gleaming bright
Black is a panther in the jungle night
Black is feeling deep
Makes you laugh, Makes you weep
Black is mystery
Black is beautiful, don\'t you see?

Black is the sorrow of a mourning band
Black is a dream about promise land
Little baby don\'t you cry
You\'ll be free before you die
Listen, child to me
Black is beautiful don\'t you see?



Versi terjemahan harafiah:





Hitam itu Indah



Hitam; beludru yang menyelimuti langit tengah malam.

Hitam; begitu indah. Membuatmu menangis.

Hitam itu tanah, hitam itu batubara.

Hitam itu minyak. Hitam juga jiwa.

Hitam adalah kau dan aku.

Hitam itu indah, tidakkah kau lihat?



Hitam, onyx yang berkilap cerlang.

Hitam; Panter yang berdiam dalam gelap malam di hutan

Hitam adalah yang kau rasakan saat tenggelam dalam perasaanmu.

Membuatmu tertawa, membuatmu menangis.

Hitam, sebuah misteri.

Hitam itu indah, tidakkah kau lihat?



Hitam; kesedihan para rombongan peratap.

Hitam; impian tentang tanah perjanjian.

Anakku, jangan menangis!

Kau akan bebas sebelum ajal menjemputmu.

Anakku, dengarkan aku.

Hitam itu indah, tidakkah kau lihat?

Count ur bless!

Sudut mataku menatap tajam jarum di layar notebookku, 7. 59 p.m. tanggal 13 Juni 2009Mmmh waktu berlari begitu kencang, meninggalkan bayang – bayang tanpa nama di benakku, menggoreskan kepingan kisah yang bertebangan berebutan menanam jejak di kalbu.

Musim dingin telah datang di Canberra dan kemarin, tanggal 12 Juni 2009, dinobatkan sebagai hari terdingin di Canberra dalam jangka waktu 44 tahun terakhir, itu penuturan housematesku (Yanti dan Nisa) dari pembicaraan yang mereka dengar di kampus dan di tempat kerja. Aku tak tahu mau berkomentar apa, karena aku juga pendatang baru di sini, dan ini musim dingin pertamaku. Yanti dan Nisa pasti lebih tau karena mereka lahir dan besar di Canbee. Aku cuma bisa bilang, kemarin itu hari ujian pertamaku tentang Semantics dan aku mengucap syukur bisa melewatinya dengan baik.

Suhu udara memang dingin, aku bersyukur kemarin bisa bertahan menunggu bis selama 20 menit dalam suhu 0 derajat dan pagi yang berkabut tebal jam 8 pagi. Masih bisa mengerjakan soal – soal ujian 8 nomor itu dalam waktu 2 jam. Masih bisa tertawa bareng dengan Ellen, Lisna, Roudo di Asian Bistro dan dalam perjalanan ke kota, melewati ruang arkeologi yang penuh barang antic dari jaman purba dan ditata bagai Museum (setelah 5 bulan di sini, aku baru sadar bahwa ada museum gratis di kampus wkwkwkwk), bisa berjalan – jalan di Canberra Centre sambil memburu bikini dan swimmer (sayangnya tak kudapat), dan bisa belanja beberapa potong pakaian yang di-sale.

Beberapa hari ini aku memang sedikit menggerutu dan lupa untuk mengucap syukur dan menghitung berkat, hingga kucek sebuah komentar dari temanku Harton, yang seakan ‘menamparku’ .. Ooops, God, forgive me!

Akhirnya saat sore hari dan sedang masak sambil mencuci piring dan melihat keluar, memastikan cuaca aman – aman saja, tiba – tiba aku diingatkan, sebuah perkataan di dalam hatiku bilang begini, :May, count ur blessings. Ayo hitung berkatmu sekarang.” Dan ingatanku tiba – tiba, entahlah, kenapa malah berkelebat pada soerang perempuan Kaukasian tunawisma gemuk yang tidur di dekat beberapa mesin ATM di dekat Flinder Station Melbourne. Aku tiba – tiba terkesiap dan langsung bilang, “Thanx God. Sa masih punya rumah yang hangat.” Mataku melirik pada tumpukan daging sapi yang sedang kuramu dan susu bertabur coklat di dekat meja dapur, dan tersadar betul. Bahwa Tuhan begitu baik padaku, bahkan pada musim dingin ini, dan aku lupa mengucap syukur beberapa hari ini dan terus mengeluh tentang cuaca. Tapi thanx God, sudah mengingatkanku tentang berkat – berkatmu.

Akhirnya, aku mau menghitung berkat yang Tuhan berikan selama musim dingin ini:

#1. Nafas hidup yang masih ada padaku;

#2. Kesehatan yang membaik, masih bisa jalan cakadidi dan naik bis ke sana kemari walau masih pake tongkat;

#3. Masih pu stok makanan di kulkas, masih bisa masak daging dan minum sari buah dan susu tiap hari dan juga masih pu cadangan obat – obatan, multivitamin, minyak ikan dll”;

#4. Masih pu tabungan di bank dan masih bisa menggeseknya untuk membayar kebutuhan hidup, bersenang – senang dan juga membeli buku. Sedangkan di tempat lain, ada yang bersusah payah bekerja dari pagi sampe pagi dengan gaji yang sangat kecil, yang mungkin bisa 1/20 dari total pendapatanku selama sebulan;

#5. Masih bisa tinggal dalam ruangan yang hangat dilengkapi dengan heater sentral, mendapatkan listrik, dan sambungan internet yang lancar dan cepat;

#6. Masih bisa mandi tiap hari karena air yang lancar mengalir; yang hanya perlu putar keran langsung keluar dan bisa diminum. Sedangkan di tempat lain, ada yang berjalan berkilo – kilo demi air yang mungkin perlu diolah berapa kali agar layak diminum, dan kadang itu terjadi di saat musim dingin;

#7. Masih bisa membaca buku hari ini dan menulis artikel, sedang di tempat lain, ada banyak orang yang tak bisa membaca dan menulis dan karenanya mereka diperbodoh oleh oknum – oknum tertentu;

#8. Masih dikirimi SMS setiap sore oleh Papaku dan adek perempuanku menanyakan kabar dan bertukar mop;

#9. Masih menerima komentar, postingan dan lain – lain di Facebookku, Gmail, Yaswarau dll, karena artinya ada yang masih peduli pada eksistensiku sebagai manusia;

#10. Masih bisa mendengar dan menonton TV sambil tertawa melihat aksi film Kartun di TV, karena artinya panca inderaku masih berfungsi;

#11. Masih ditelpon oleh seorang sahabat di Melbourne hanya untuk sekedar bercerita, karena artinya aku masih dikelilingi oleh sahabat;

#12. Masih di bisa keluar rumah dan tetap hangat karena masih punya pakaian musim dingin yang hangat, yang walau tak semuanya baru dan hanyalah second-hand clothes tapi sangat menghangatkan tubuh di musim dingin;

#13. Masih bisa mengerjakan ujian kemarin dan bisa menjawab sekitar 70 % dari pertanyaan, karena artinya masih bisa memahami instruksi dalam bahasa asing dan bisa berpikir logis dalam suasana dingin ini;

#14. Masih bisa melakukan banyak hal yang tak dapat disebut satu persatu karena terlalu banyak dan tak dapat dihitung lagi.

Akhirnya aku cuma bisa bilang bahwa “Yesus, ko baik skali sama sa ooooo. Thanx e masih kasi sa kesempatan untuk hidup. Ajar sa untuk selalu hitung sa pu berkat – berkat dan berhenti mengeluh tentang cuaca dan suhu suda.”

Jadi …. Mari tong mulai hitung berkat apa saja yang tong pu hari ini …!!!

(Canberra, 13 Juni 2009)

cinta 3 bulan

Entahlah, malam ini tak bisa tidur, jarum jam sudah bergeser dari jam kecil ke jam yang besar. Mobil tak lagi bersuara di jalan depan rumah. Kucing rumah sejak tadi sudah meringkuk tenang dalam dengkuran nyaman entah di sudut mana. Kedua rekan-serumah pun telah berpetualang di pulau kapuk. Tinggal aku sendiri kebingungan mau bikin apa.

Malam ini yang kuinginkan berada di Manokwari, bisa mendengar suara ombak di pinggir pantai, duduk bercerita bersama lelaki hujanku sambil menikmati cahaya bintang – bintang kecil di ujung sana. Bercerita tentang apa saja, bercerita tentang kisah manusia biasa yang berjalan, berlari, berkeliaran, berseliweran di seputar hidup kami; mulai dari tukang ojek yang sigap mencari penumpang, para remaja ugal – ugalan yang suka balapan, para ‘cula jalanan’ yang makin gencar mencari ‘mangsa’, hingga tentang kami berdua.

Seorang temanku, sebut saja El, bilang padaku bahwa kalau memang sampai saatnya aku dan ‘lelaki hujan’ku masih saja putus-sambung-putus-sambung tanpa kejelasan, sebaiknya aku berpikir lebih matang; mau mengambil resiko atau melepasnya selamanya. Para sahabat perempuanku pun sudah angkat tangan dengan sikapku yang gemar putus-sambung ini, apalagi para sahabat dari jaman kuliah dulu yang sudah bosan dengan gaya pacaran seperti ini. Mungkin karena aku cepat B-O-S-A-N.

Mamaku pernah menegur dan ‘menasehatiku’, katanya: “Sebaiknya kalo ko niat serius nikah, ko kasi hilang ko pu sifat bosan tuh tempo, daripada nan ko bikin kaco saja”, itu inti yang mama utarakan. Aku tahu tentang sifat ini yang berpadu dengan bipolarku dan sifatku yang sensitif. Entahlah …

Tapi herannya, para mantan pacarku, setiap kali aku memutuskan hubungan, dan kemudian beberapa hari lagi normal dan bilang apa mau rekonsiliasi, mereka OK2 saja, dan itu berulang kali hingga pada titik-jenuh-sungguh-mati, dan itulah perpisahan selamanya.

Tapi dibanding semua mantan pacarku, ‘lelaki hujan’ku sebut saja Al, benar – benar menguras emosi dan perasaan untuk menaklukannya. Aku tipe pemburu dan selama ‘mangsa’ yang kukejar penuh misteri dan tantangan untuk kutaklukan, aku masih akan tetap memburunya. Al adalah tipe orang yang tak gampang ditaklukan, tak gampang dimengerti, membuatku tertantang untuk mengungkap semua emosi yang tersimpan dalam matanya yang kadang sendu, kadang jenaka.

Al, my unpredictable lover, adalah sasaran target yang tepat dari rasa bosanku. Tapi usai ku merasa mendapatkan semua informasi yang kuinginkan, rasa jenuh itu tiba – tiba mengonsumsiku, membuatku mulai hilang rasa, hilang ‘selera’. Dan saat itulah momen untuk P-U-T-U-S. Tapi usai mendapatkan istirah, ia kembali lagi segar, menantang, dan misterius, seakan men-charge semua misteri baru dalam dirinya, membuatnya menjadi ‘target’ baru untuk ditaklukan lagi, dihujani dengan perhatian, untuk ditaklukan lagi.

Entahlah ke depan bagaimana, aku benar – benar labil karena lelaki ini, lelaki terhebat yang terus membuatku tertantang untuk menaklukannya usai hubungan pacaran setiap tiga bulan, katakan saja lelaki hujanku adalah lelaki yang membuatku jatuh cinta hanya t3 bulan sebelum aku dan dia P-U-T-U-S, dan beberapa masa setelah itu, kami berdua adalah manusia merdeka. Dan siklus itu kembali lagi, Pacaran 3 bulan, putus beberapa minggu, pacaran lagi, putus, pacaran lagi, putus, dan ia tetap mau saja menerima kata – kataku untuk ‘rekonsiliasi’ dan tak menyinggung – nyinggung SMS – SMS lama yang bisa bikin-sakit-hati itu. Betapa kurang ajarnya diriku, kan?

Tapi entahlah, statusnya yang tak jelas itu, benar – benar membuat jenuh. Benar – benar membuatku berhenti berpikir tentang cinta, tapi tetap saja cinta yang kutahu adalah cinta untuk Al; lelaki hujanku. Entahlah ke depannya, apakah aku kan terus menjadi “Mrs Al” ataukah sekedar “Mistress Al”. Ku tak tahu dan tak mau tahu lagi. Ku hanya mau jatuh cinta sekarang!

tunggu-tak-pasti

Ketika impian berbenturan dengan realita. Ketika nilai tak bersahabat dengan harapan. Ketika fakta sosial menghujam angan. Aku mati di tengah - tengahnya. Aku capek, lelah, letih, jenuh bermain dan berjalan dalam labirin tanpa ujung pangkal bernama cinta. Ku pernah bilang, "jangan pernah minta aku 'tuk berhenti mencintaimu", kan. Itu memang benar, Al. Tapi aku juga ingin bilang, "tolong bantu aku melupakanmu, menghapus, meng-unistalmu dari perangkat lunak penyimpan memoriku.".

Al, aku ingin jatuh cinta lagi TAPI bukan padamu lagi. Aku ingin melewati musim gugur yang mellow ini dengan tenang, dengan tetap menyimpan cinta di hatiku. Cinta kepada seseorang yang berani menjawab pertanyaanku, "jadi ke depannya bagaimana?", cinta kepada seseorang yang bisa menjawab, "jadi sapu status bagaimana?", cinta kepada seseorang yang bisa menjanjikan "kepastian", yang tidak ngambang. Al, kau tahu, menunggu dalam ketidakpastian adalah sebuah mimpi buruk, mimpi buruk yang mengonsumsi akal sehat, logika, sel - selku. Mimpi buruk penantian tak pasti bagaikan pukulan godam beribu kati ke sel - sel batang otakku, membuatku mati rasa, tak tenang, khawatir, risau, gundah.

Lalu kenapa tak kuputus saja sumber kerisauan, galau, sakit hati ini? Karena aku masih tak bisa, masih tak sanggup, masih sedikit menaruh asa, tapi entahlah. Aku jenuh, Al...

Obama's Middle East Speech in Kairo June 4, 2009

Obama's Middle East Speech in Kairo June 4, 2009

source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/04/obamas-middle-east-speech_n_211217.html

I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo, and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has stood as a beacon of Islamic learning, and for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt's advancement. Together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress. I am grateful for your hospitality, and the hospitality of the people of Egypt. I am also proud to carry with me the goodwill of the American people, and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: assalaamu alaykum.

We meet at a time of tension between the United States and Muslims around the world - tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate. The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of co-existence and cooperation, but also conflict and religious wars. More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. Moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalization led many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the traditions of Islam.
Violent extremists have exploited these tensions in a small but potent minority of Muslims. The attacks of September 11th, 2001 and the continued efforts of these extremists to engage in violence against civilians has led some in my country to view Islam as inevitably hostile not only to America and Western countries, but also to human rights. This has bred more fear and mistrust.

So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, and who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. This cycle of suspicion and discord must end.

I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles - principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.

I do so recognizing that change cannot happen overnight. No single speech can eradicate years of mistrust, nor can I answer in the time that I have all the complex questions that brought us to this point. But I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly the things we hold in our hearts, and that too often are said only behind closed doors. There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other; to learn from each other; to respect one another; and to seek common ground. As the Holy Koran tells us, "Be conscious of God and speak always the truth." That is what I will try to do - to speak the truth as best I can, humbled by the task before us, and firm in my belief that the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart.
Part of this conviction is rooted in my own experience. I am a Christian, but my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims. As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and the fall of dusk. As a young man, I worked in Chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in their Muslim faith.

As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam. It was Islam - at places like Al-Azhar University - that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.

I know, too, that Islam has always been a part of America's story. The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco. In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second President John Adams wrote, "The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims." And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States. They have fought in our wars, served in government, stood for civil rights, started businesses, taught at our Universities, excelled in our sports arenas, won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building, and lit the Olympic Torch. And when the first Muslim-American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same Holy Koran that one of our Founding Fathers - Thomas Jefferson - kept in his personal library.

So I have known Islam on three continents before coming to the region where it was first revealed. That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn't. And I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.

But that same principle must apply to Muslim perceptions of America. Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire. The United States has been one of the greatest sources of progress that the world has ever known. We were born out of revolution against an empire. We were founded upon the ideal that all are created equal, and we have shed blood and struggled for centuries to give meaning to those words - within our borders, and around the world. We are shaped by every culture, drawn from every end of the Earth, and dedicated to a simple concept: E pluribus unum: "Out of many, one."

Much has been made of the fact that an African-American with the name Barack Hussein Obama could be elected President. But my personal story is not so unique. The dream of opportunity for all people has not come true for everyone in America, but its promise exists for all who come to our shores - that includes nearly seven million American Muslims in our country today who enjoy incomes and education that are higher than average.

Moreover, freedom in America is indivisible from the freedom to practice one's religion. That is why there is a mosque in every state of our union, and over 1,200 mosques within our borders. That is why the U.S. government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it.
So let there be no doubt: Islam is a part of America. And I believe that America holds within her the truth that regardless of race, religion, or station in life, all of us share common aspirations - to live in peace and security; to get an education and to work with dignity; to love our families, our communities, and our God. These things we share. This is the hope of all humanity.

Of course, recognizing our common humanity is only the beginning of our task. Words alone cannot meet the needs of our people. These needs will be met only if we act boldly in the years ahead; and if we understand that the challenges we face are shared, and our failure to meet them will hurt us all.

For we have learned from recent experience that when a financial system weakens in one country, prosperity is hurt everywhere. When a new flu infects one human being, all are at risk. When one nation pursues a nuclear weapon, the risk of nuclear attack rises for all nations. When violent extremists operate in one stretch of mountains, people are endangered across an ocean. And when innocents in Bosnia and Darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience. That is what it means to share this world in the 21st century. That is the responsibility we have to one another as human beings.
This is a difficult responsibility to embrace. For human history has often been a record of nations and tribes subjugating one another to serve their own interests. Yet in this new age, such attitudes are self-defeating. Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail. So whatever we think of the past, we must not be prisoners of it. Our problems must be dealt with through partnership; progress must be shared.

That does not mean we should ignore sources of tension. Indeed, it suggests the opposite: we must face these tensions squarely. And so in that spirit, let me speak as clearly and plainly as I can about some specific issues that I believe we must finally confront together.

The first issue that we have to confront is violent extremism in all of its forms.
In Ankara, I made clear that America is not - and never will be - at war with Islam. We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists who pose a grave threat to our security. Because we reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject: the killing of innocent men, women, and children. And it is my first duty as President to protect the American people.
The situation in Afghanistan demonstrates America's goals, and our need to work together. Over seven years ago, the United States pursued al Qaeda and the Taliban with broad international support. We did not go by choice, we went because of necessity. I am aware that some question or justify the events of 9/11. But let us be clear: al Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 people on that day. The victims were innocent men, women and children from America and many other nations who had done nothing to harm anybody. And yet Al Qaeda chose to ruthlessly murder these people, claimed credit for the attack, and even now states their determination to kill on a massive scale. They have affiliates in many countries and are trying to expand their reach. These are not opinions to be debated; these are facts to be dealt with.

Make no mistake: we do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan. We seek no military bases there. It is agonizing for America to lose our young men and women. It is costly and politically difficult to continue this conflict. We would gladly bring every single one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can. But that is not yet the case.

That's why we're partnering with a coalition of forty-six countries. And despite the costs involved, America's commitment will not weaken. Indeed, none of us should tolerate these extremists. They have killed in many countries. They have killed people of different faiths - more than any other, they have killed Muslims. Their actions are irreconcilable with the rights of human beings, the progress of nations, and with Islam. The Holy Koran teaches that whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind. The enduring faith of over a billion people is so much bigger than the narrow hatred of a few. Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism - it is an important part of promoting peace.

We also know that military power alone is not going to solve the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan. That is why we plan to invest $1.5 billion each year over the next five years to partner with Pakistanis to build schools and hospitals, roads and businesses, and hundreds of millions to help those who have been displaced. And that is why we are providing more than $2.8 billion to help Afghans develop their economy and deliver services that people depend upon.

Let me also address the issue of Iraq. Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world. Although I believe that the Iraqi people are ultimately better off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, I also believe that events in Iraq have reminded America of the need to use diplomacy and build international consensus to resolve our problems whenever possible. Indeed, we can recall the words of Thomas Jefferson, who said: "I hope that our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us that the less we use our power the greater it will be."

Today, America has a dual responsibility: to help Iraq forge a better future - and to leave Iraq to Iraqis. I have made it clear to the Iraqi people that we pursue no bases, and no claim on their territory or resources. Iraq's sovereignty is its own. That is why I ordered the removal of our combat brigades by next August. That is why we will honor our agreement with Iraq's democratically-elected government to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by July, and to remove all our troops from Iraq by 2012. We will help Iraq train its Security Forces and develop its economy. But we will support a secure and united Iraq as a partner, and never as a patron.

And finally, just as America can never tolerate violence by extremists, we must never alter our principles. 9/11 was an enormous trauma to our country. The fear and anger that it provoked was understandable, but in some cases, it led us to act contrary to our ideals. We are taking concrete actions to change course. I have unequivocally prohibited the use of torture by the United States, and I have ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed by early next year.

So America will defend itself respectful of the sovereignty of nations and the rule of law. And we will do so in partnership with Muslim communities which are also threatened. The sooner the extremists are isolated and unwelcome in Muslim communities, the sooner we will all be safer.

The second major source of tension that we need to discuss is the situation between Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab world.

America's strong bonds with Israel are well known. This bond is unbreakable. It is based upon cultural and historical ties, and the recognition that the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied.

Around the world, the Jewish people were persecuted for centuries, and anti-Semitism in Europe culminated in an unprecedented Holocaust. Tomorrow, I will visit Buchenwald, which was part of a network of camps where Jews were enslaved, tortured, shot and gassed to death by the Third Reich. Six million Jews were killed - more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless, ignorant, and hateful. Threatening Israel with destruction - or repeating vile stereotypes about Jews - is deeply wrong, and only serves to evoke in the minds of Israelis this most painful of memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve.

On the other hand, it is also undeniable that the Palestinian people - Muslims and Christians - have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. For more than sixty years they have endured the pain of dislocation. Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza, and neighboring lands for a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead. They endure the daily humiliations - large and small - that come with occupation. So let there be no doubt: the situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable. America will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity, and a state of their own.

For decades, there has been a stalemate: two peoples with legitimate aspirations, each with a painful history that makes compromise elusive. It is easy to point fingers - for Palestinians to point to the displacement brought by Israel's founding, and for Israelis to point to the constant hostility and attacks throughout its history from within its borders as well as beyond. But if we see this conflict only from one side or the other, then we will be blind to the truth: the only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security.
That is in Israel's interest, Palestine's interest, America's interest, and the world's interest. That is why I intend to personally pursue this outcome with all the patience that the task requires. The obligations that the parties have agreed to under the Road Map are clear. For peace to come, it is time for them - and all of us - to live up to our responsibilities.
Palestinians must abandon violence. Resistance through violence and killing is wrong and does not succeed. For centuries, black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. But it was not violence that won full and equal rights. It was a peaceful and determined insistence upon the ideals at the center of America's founding. This same story can be told by people from South Africa to South Asia; from Eastern Europe to Indonesia. It's a story with a simple truth: that violence is a dead end. It is a sign of neither courage nor power to shoot rockets at sleeping children, or to blow up old women on a bus. That is not how moral authority is claimed; that is how it is surrendered.

Now is the time for Palestinians to focus on what they can build. The Palestinian Authority must develop its capacity to govern, with institutions that serve the needs of its people. Hamas does have support among some Palestinians, but they also have responsibilities. To play a role in fulfilling Palestinian aspirations, and to unify the Palestinian people, Hamas must put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, and recognize Israel's right to exist.

At the same time, Israelis must acknowledge that just as Israel's right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine's. The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop.
Israel must also live up to its obligations to ensure that Palestinians can live, and work, and develop their society. And just as it devastates Palestinian families, the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza does not serve Israel's security; neither does the continuing lack of opportunity in the West Bank. Progress in the daily lives of the Palestinian people must be part of a road to peace, and Israel must take concrete steps to enable such progress.

Finally, the Arab States must recognize that the Arab Peace Initiative was an important beginning, but not the end of their responsibilities. The Arab-Israeli conflict should no longer be used to distract the people of Arab nations from other problems. Instead, it must be a cause for action to help the Palestinian people develop the institutions that will sustain their state; to recognize Israel's legitimacy; and to choose progress over a self-defeating focus on the past.

America will align our policies with those who pursue peace, and say in public what we say in private to Israelis and Palestinians and Arabs. We cannot impose peace. But privately, many Muslims recognize that Israel will not go away. Likewise, many Israelis recognize the need for a Palestinian state. It is time for us to act on what everyone knows to be true.

Too many tears have flowed. Too much blood has been shed. All of us have a responsibility to work for the day when the mothers of Israelis and Palestinians can see their children grow up without fear; when the Holy Land of three great faiths is the place of peace that God intended it to be; when Jerusalem is a secure and lasting home for Jews and Christians and Muslims, and a place for all of the children of Abraham to mingle peacefully together as in the story of Isra, when Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed (peace be upon them) joined in prayer.

The third source of tension is our shared interest in the rights and responsibilities of nations on nuclear weapons.

This issue has been a source of tension between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. For many years, Iran has defined itself in part by its opposition to my country, and there is indeed a tumultuous history between us. In the middle of the Cold War, the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically-elected Iranian government. Since the Islamic Revolution, Iran has played a role in acts of hostage-taking and violence against U.S. troops and civilians. This history is well known. Rather than remain trapped in the past, I have made it clear to Iran's leaders and people that my country is prepared to move forward. The question, now, is not what Iran is against, but rather what future it wants to build.

It will be hard to overcome decades of mistrust, but we will proceed with courage, rectitude and resolve. There will be many issues to discuss between our two countries, and we are willing to move forward without preconditions on the basis of mutual respect. But it is clear to all concerned that when it comes to nuclear weapons, we have reached a decisive point. This is not simply about America's interests. It is about preventing a nuclear arms race in the Middle East that could lead this region and the world down a hugely dangerous path.

I understand those who protest that some countries have weapons that others do not. No single nation should pick and choose which nations hold nuclear weapons. That is why I strongly reaffirmed America's commitment to seek a world in which no nations hold nuclear weapons. And any nation - including Iran - should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power if it complies with its responsibilities under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. That commitment is at the core of the Treaty, and it must be kept for all who fully abide by it. And I am hopeful that all countries in the region can share in this goal.

The fourth issue that I will address is democracy.

I know there has been controversy about the promotion of democracy in recent years, and much of this controversy is connected to the war in Iraq. So let me be clear: no system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by any other.
That does not lessen my commitment, however, to governments that reflect the will of the people. Each nation gives life to this principle in its own way, grounded in the traditions of its own people. America does not presume to know what is best for everyone, just as we would not presume to pick the outcome of a peaceful election. But I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. Those are not just American ideas, they are human rights, and that is why we will support them everywhere.

There is no straight line to realize this promise. But this much is clear: governments that protect these rights are ultimately more stable, successful and secure. Suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. America respects the right of all peaceful and law-abiding voices to be heard around the world, even if we disagree with them. And we will welcome all elected, peaceful governments - provided they govern with respect for all their people.

This last point is important because there are some who advocate for democracy only when they are out of power; once in power, they are ruthless in suppressing the rights of others. No matter where it takes hold, government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who hold power: you must maintain your power through consent, not coercion; you must respect the rights of minorities, and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise; you must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party. Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy.

The fifth issue that we must address together is religious freedom.

Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance. We see it in the history of Andalusia and Cordoba during the Inquisition. I saw it firsthand as a child in Indonesia, where devout Christians worshiped freely in an overwhelmingly Muslim country. That is the spirit we need today. People in every country should be free to choose and live their faith based upon the persuasion of the mind, heart, and soul. This tolerance is essential for religion to thrive, but it is being challenged in many different ways.

Among some Muslims, there is a disturbing tendency to measure one's own faith by the rejection of another's. The richness of religious diversity must be upheld - whether it is for Maronites in Lebanon or the Copts in Egypt. And fault lines must be closed among Muslims as well, as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence, particularly in Iraq.

Freedom of religion is central to the ability of peoples to live together. We must always examine the ways in which we protect it. For instance, in the United States, rules on charitable giving have made it harder for Muslims to fulfill their religious obligation. That is why I am committed to working with American Muslims to ensure that they can fulfill zakat.
Likewise, it is important for Western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practicing religion as they see fit - for instance, by dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear. We cannot disguise hostility towards any religion behind the pretence of liberalism.

Indeed, faith should bring us together. That is why we are forging service projects in America that bring together Christians, Muslims, and Jews. That is why we welcome efforts like Saudi Arabian King Abdullah's Interfaith dialogue and Turkey's leadership in the Alliance of Civilizations. Around the world, we can turn dialogue into Interfaith service, so bridges between peoples lead to action - whether it is combating malaria in Africa, or providing relief after a natural disaster.

The sixth issue that I want to address is women's rights.

I know there is debate about this issue. I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal, but I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality. And it is no coincidence that countries where women are well-educated are far more likely to be prosperous.
Now let me be clear: issues of women's equality are by no means simply an issue for Islam. In Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, we have seen Muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead. Meanwhile, the struggle for women's equality continues in many aspects of American life, and in countries around the world.

Our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons, and our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity - men and women - to reach their full potential. I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal, and I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice. That is why the United States will partner with any Muslim-majority country to support expanded literacy for girls, and to help young women pursue employment through micro-financing that helps people live their dreams.

Finally, I want to discuss economic development and opportunity.

I know that for many, the face of globalization is contradictory. The Internet and television can bring knowledge and information, but also offensive sexuality and mindless violence. Trade can bring new wealth and opportunities, but also huge disruptions and changing communities. In all nations - including my own - this change can bring fear. Fear that because of modernity we will lose of control over our economic choices, our politics, and most importantly our identities - those things we most cherish about our communities, our families, our traditions, and our faith.

But I also know that human progress cannot be denied. There need not be contradiction between development and tradition. Countries like Japan and South Korea grew their economies while maintaining distinct cultures. The same is true for the astonishing progress within Muslim-majority countries from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai. In ancient times and in our times, Muslim communities have been at the forefront of innovation and education.

This is important because no development strategy can be based only upon what comes out of the ground, nor can it be sustained while young people are out of work. Many Gulf States have enjoyed great wealth as a consequence of oil, and some are beginning to focus it on broader development. But all of us must recognize that education and innovation will be the currency of the 21st century, and in too many Muslim communities there remains underinvestment in these areas. I am emphasizing such investments within my country. And while America in the past has focused on oil and gas in this part of the world, we now seek a broader engagement.

On education, we will expand exchange programs, and increase scholarships, like the one that brought my father to America, while encouraging more Americans to study in Muslim communities. And we will match promising Muslim students with internships in America; invest in on-line learning for teachers and children around the world; and create a new online network, so a teenager in Kansas can communicate instantly with a teenager in Cairo.

On economic development, we will create a new corps of business volunteers to partner with counterparts in Muslim-majority countries. And I will host a Summit on Entrepreneurship this year to identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations and social entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim communities around the world.

On science and technology, we will launch a new fund to support technological development in Muslim-majority countries, and to help transfer ideas to the marketplace so they can create jobs. We will open centers of scientific excellence in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and appoint new Science Envoys to collaborate on programs that develop new sources of energy, create green jobs, digitize records, clean water, and grow new crops. And today I am announcing a new global effort with the Organization of the Islamic Conference to eradicate polio. And we will also expand partnerships with Muslim communities to promote child and maternal health.
All these things must be done in partnership. Americans are ready to join with citizens and governments; community organizations, religious leaders, and businesses in Muslim communities around the world to help our people pursue a better life.

The issues that I have described will not be easy to address. But we have a responsibility to join together on behalf of the world we seek - a world where extremists no longer threaten our people, and American troops have come home; a world where Israelis and Palestinians are each secure in a state of their own, and nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes; a world where governments serve their citizens, and the rights of all God's children are respected. Those are mutual interests. That is the world we seek. But we can only achieve it together.

I know there are many - Muslim and non-Muslim - who question whether we can forge this new beginning. Some are eager to stoke the flames of division, and to stand in the way of progress. Some suggest that it isn't worth the effort - that we are fated to disagree, and civilizations are doomed to clash. Many more are simply skeptical that real change can occur. There is so much fear, so much mistrust. But if we choose to be bound by the past, we will never move forward. And I want to particularly say this to young people of every faith, in every country - you, more than anyone, have the ability to remake this world.

All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time. The question is whether we spend that time focused on what pushes us apart, or whether we commit ourselves to an effort - a sustained effort - to find common ground, to focus on the future we seek for our children, and to respect the dignity of all human beings.

It is easier to start wars than to end them. It is easier to blame others than to look inward; to see what is different about someone than to find the things we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path. There is also one rule that lies at the heart of every religion - that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. This truth transcends nations and peoples - a belief that isn't new; that isn't black or white or brown; that isn't Christian, or Muslim or Jew. It's a belief that pulsed in the cradle of civilization, and that still beats in the heart of billions. It's a faith in other people, and it's what brought me here today.

We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written.

The Holy Koran tells us, "O mankind! We have created you male and a female; and we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another."

The Talmud tells us: "The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace."

The Holy Bible tells us, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God's vision. Now, that must be our work here on Earth. Thank you. And may God's peace be upon you.
###

Note teman tentang kasus Prita

Berikut ini adalah catatan seorang teman catatannya di Facebook terkait dengan hebohnya pemberitaan di mana seorang pasien yang memrotes rumah sakit malah dijerat pasal berlapis berkaitan dengan pencemaran nama baik.

Semoga memberikan pencerahan.

Salam hangat,


D. Meimosaki

==============================


Dikutip dari notes FB dari

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?saved&&suggest¬e_id=181687665315#/note.php?note_id=96396089784&ref=mf


[Simalakama Bernama Baik]

Oleh Ancilla Y.S. Irwan


Gajah mati meninggalkan gading, harimau mati meninggalkan belang

Idiom ini menunjukkan betapa setiap dari kita ingin untuk meninggalkan “jejak eksistensi”. Lingkupnya sangat luas, istilahnya pun beragam. Para pemimpin dunia berjuang untuk meninggalkan legacy, misalnya bagaimana para Bapak (dan Ibu) Bangsa ini berhasil membangun sebuah negara berpenduduk ratusan juta dengan berbagai perbedaan yang ada. Atau manusia sebagai individu, sadar maupun tidak, ingin untuk dapat meninggal dengan tenang. Tentu hal ini termasuk dalam berbagai hal terkait dengan permasalahan-permasalahan yang belum terselesaikan, meninggalkan nama baik.

Atas nama ini jugalah, Alfred Nobel mengalokasikan sebagian besar dari kekayaannya untuk “menciptakan” Nobel Prizes dalam wasiatnya. Banyak yang percaya ini merupakan kompensasi dari rasa bersalahnya, terhadap hasil karya yang membuat dirinya terkenal dan memberikan sejumlah loyalti, yaitu dinamit. Agar dirinya dikenang, tidak hanya sebagai penemu salah satu cikal bakal pembunuh massal (yang tentunya tidak terpikirkan sebelumnya), namun juga sebagai individu yang berusaha menjadikan dunia ini lebih baik.

Seiring dengan berjalannya ilmu pengetahuan dan pembentukan berbagai komunitas hingga negara, semakin dirasakan pentingnya suatu tatanan yang menjaga perilaku kehidupan bermasyarakat. Etika berlandaskan norma-norma yang sebenarnya sudah hadir dalam setiap lapisan, perlu untuk distandarisasi agar pelaksanaannya menjadi teratur dan tidak timpang. Termasuk urusan menjaga nama baik ini. Walaupun saya bukan ahli religi ajaran manapun, saya yakin, fitnah bukanlah hal yang benar dalam kitab agama ataupun spiritual apapun. Fitnah tidak sekedar menuding sesama, namun juga berarti perkataan yang tidak jujur.

Akan tetapi, apakah itu berarti tidak ada ruang untuk berpendapat? Masih adakah tempat bagi setiap dari kita untuk mengadu, mengeluh dan mempertanyakan? Bukankah ini merupakan salah satu perwujudan hak asasi yang dicantumkan dalam The Universal Declaration of Human Rights pada tahun 1948?
Pasal 19
Setiap orang berhak atas kebebasan mempunyai dan mengeluarkan pendapat; dalam hak ini termasuk kebebasan memiliki pendapat tanpa gangguan, dan untuk mencari, menerima dan menyampaikan informasi dan buah pikiran melalui media apa saja dan dengan tidak memandang batas-batas (wilayah).


Setuju, saya juga setuju bahwa kebebasan haruslah dibatasi agar tidak mutlak. Jelas, dengan sekian banyak manusia, bila semua menuntut hak berpendapat tanpa menjalankan kewajibannya, dunia ini akan dipenuhi hanya oleh balon-balon kalimat.
Kebebasan yang tidak melanggar kebebasan yang lain. Kebebasan yang dirasakan dengan kesadaran penuh bahwa di dunia ini tidak hanya kita seorang!

Lantas, seberapa jauhkah konteks tanggung jawab tersebut? Rasanya ini yang masih tidak jelas. Mungkin karena terkait dengan interpretasi. Sementara tidak banyak dari kita yang memahami secara jelas tatanan-tatanan tersebut yang sedikit banyak dikarenakan oleh aturan perhukuman yang seringkali menggunakan bahasa njlimet. Mungkin memang harus begitu, supaya cakupannya tepat guna. Entah. Bukan saya yang dapat menilainya.

Sebagai pribadi yang tidak bergelut di dunia hukum, saya hanya bisa melihatnya dari kacamata logika. Ketika berpendapat, tentu dipersilahkan. Akan tetapi, berpendapat tidak berarti menyerang tanpa landasan yang tepat dan jelas. Adanya landasan yang tepat dan jelas, saya rasa tetap tidak menjadi hak untuk menyerang. Walaupun, kita dapat melihat betapa “menyerang” seakan diijinkan dalam konteks kampanye. Para kandidat sibuk menyerang satu sama lain. Mengungkit hal paling kecil, menunjukkan “titik lemah”, yang belum tentu signifikan dalam hal kompetensi memimpin atau menjadi wakil rakyat. Hal yang membuat saya mempertanyakan kepentingannya, karena gencarnya debat ini tidak menjamin mereka akan mendebat hal-hal yang merugikan rakyat, karena entah mengapa ada indikasi kalau keahlian ini teredam dengan kenyamanan yang ada.

Menilik kata “menyerang” dan “landasan”, tampaknya ini merupakan titik lemah, sangat subyektif. Namun bukankah disitu peranan tata krama dan/atau hukum?
Permasalahannya adalah apabila hukum yang ada, dengan idiom yang kadang mengharuskan saya untuk membaca berkali-kali tanpa jaminan memahami, masih menggunakan kata-kata yang bersifat konotasi. Masih memberikan ruang untuk interpretasi masing-masing individu.

Seperti yang terjadi dengan Ibu Prita Mulyasari yang harus dipenjarakan karena menuliskan kisah pengalamannya untuk memperoleh kesehatan. Saya sudah membaca email-nya, saya melihat bantahan dari pihak instansi kesehatan di Kompas di salah satu situs. Menurut saya sebagai awam sok tahu, apa yang diceritakan oleh beliau merupakan testimoni, kisah hidup. Nama-nama yang disebutkan merupakan bukti bahwa beliau tidak mengarang ataupun mengada-ngada. Kronologisnya pun masuk akal. Lantas, mengapa terjadi penangkapan?

Saya sendiri pernah menuliskan keluhan di salah satu situs, terkait dengan pelayanan salah satu perusahaan telekomunikasi. Saya telah berusaha menyelesaikan permasalahan secara langsung namun tidak mendapat tanggapan yang memuaskan. Alhasil, saya menuliskannya dengan harapan ada pihak dari perusahaan tersebut yang membaca dan menanggapinya dengan segera. Dan memang demikian, tidak sampai 24 jam setelahnya, masalah selesai. Pola pikir inilah yang saya rasa digunakan oleh Ibu Prita. Mengingatkan keberadaan kasus ini, menyadarkan kelalaian, mengakui kesalahan. Tentu, yang diharapkan bukanlah reaksi defensif tanpa penyelesaian atau malah menyerang kembali.

Lalu, mengapa bisa dipenjara???! Apakah memang tidak ada tatanan perlindungan konsumen? Apakah memang tidak ada aturan kebebasan berpendapat melalui jaringan internet? Jawabannya, ada! Saya tahu keberadaan YLKI di Indonesia. Saya tahu keberadaan UU ITE, karena saya termasuk blogger (walau tidak aktif) dan sempat cemas berpartisipasi dalam politikana. Kecemasan yang wajar, mengingat beberapa blogger yang diciduk di negara lain karena pendapatnya di situs pribadinya. Lalu mengapa?

Atau ini merupakan bukti betapa banyaknya ahli kesehatan yang lupa dengan tujuan utama dari profesinya? Atau wujud solidaritas dari asosiasi profesi? Walaupun dihidupi dengan bisnis kesehatan, dikelilingi beberapa pekerja kesehatan dan bahkan sempat bermimpi menjadi seperti mereka, saya tetap percaya ini sekedar oknum. Dan walaupun disebutkan bahwa penuntut merupakan tokoh-tokoh terkait dalam email tersebut, sungguh saya sulit percaya 100% atas dasar pertimbangan tingkat kesibukan, perkiraan dana dan penghasilan. Bukankah lebih baik untuk diselesaikan secara kekeluargaan? Selain itu, penyelesaian secara hukum sangat mungkin dapat menjatuhkan nama baik mereka…

Atau ini merupakan bukti betapa ketidakberdayaan individu menghadapi kekuatan kelompok? Atau ketidakberdayaan “melawan” nominal dalam secarik kertas yang nilainya ditentukan oleh manusia-manusia juga; ketika kalkulasi ini mengalahkan segalanya, termasuk kemanusiaan? Entahlah. Semoga tidak benar, karena bila benar, berarti bukan nama baik yang diperjuangkan, namun kapitalisme!!

Apapun itu, saya kagum dengan animo masyarakat terhadap kasus ini. Ada yang melakukan sosialisasi di situs jalinan sosial, dan solidaritas bloggers. Antusiasme ini didukung dengan situasi saat ini, menjelang masa kampanye, sehingga para kandidat pun turut menunjukkan atensinya. Tanpa keduanya, saya pesimis masalah ini akan ditindaklanjuti dalam waktu secepat ini dan mungkin dengan cepat tenggelam ditengah maraknya kisah-kisah lain. Karena ini bukan kasus pertama, setidaknya ada satu kasus serupa sebelumnya, Khoe Seng Seng, yang baru saya ketahui beberapa hari lalu sementara terjadi pada akhir 2008.

Kasus ini belum selesai. Namun status penahanannya telah ditangguhkan, sehingga beliau dapat berkumpul kembali dengan keluarganya, terutama dengan anak-anak yang masih kecil. Setidaknya ada harapan kasus ini dapat diselesaikan secara baik dan benar. Bahwa berpendapat, surat pembaca, email berisikan curhatan, dan seterusnya yang termasuk kegiatan ketik-mengetik di dunia maya dapat terjamin.

Semoga kemenangan berpihak pada idealisme dan bukan kapitalisme!!!

Tentang Rasisme

Tulisan di bawah ini, dikutip tanpa editan apapun dari tulisan seorang teman bernama Victoria Fanggidae, mahasiswi pascasarjana di University of Melbourne.

Saya suka tulisan ini, memberikan banyak pencerahan.

Andai saja kita bisa melihat semua manusia setara dan lebih fleksibel melihat segala perbedaan itu, pasti dunia akan menjadi tempat yang lebih baik.


Salam hangat,


D. Meimosaki

===================================


Ini linknya:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/note.php?note_id=84904128329&id=709695837&ref=mf

Something we are uncomfortable to talk about: racism of any sort

By Victoria Fanggidae


Yesterday, 25th, the topic of racism started with a story from our lecturer about her personal experience of racism recently (just one day before actually). I and many people will consider her as a white woman (indeed she’s from Macedonia but she, with red hair and white skin will be difficult to be categorized as “colors”), was threatened at her premise. Someone sneaked to her premise which has been under renovation and wrote something like: “We don’t like colors around” on plasterboard at her renovated home. That was only one over another psychological assault she has been received during the duration of her migration here in Australia (about 10 years if I’m not mistaken). She and her family lives in Yarra Valley (not an area associated with poverty or immigrants as far as I know, not like Brunswick or West Melbourne for instance).

In the class, an Australian student said that she was referred to as a ‘white’, and not as an Australian, when she was in Rwanda, as if that’s her only identity. She said, what if she referred the people there as ‘blacks’ and not Hutu or Tutsi for instance? Would she have been a racist? How about the Rwandan killing itself? Aside of social and economical reason, there’s an element of racism overthere: Tutsi is lighter skinned that Hutu.

The other Asian friend told that she once witnessed a white man shouted to an Asian woman because she stood in the wrong line in a bank, and said, ‘Why doesn’t she behave like the native Australia, the original owner of this land, who are discipline, progressive, etc etc.”. And the Asian woman replied, “Sorry, you’re wrong. This land belongs to Aborigines. You’re not the original owner”.

My lecturer also talked about the Brunswick incident (not the Good Samaritan case), where a female teenager talked in a short video footage something like: “the wogs did this and that, the wogs did this and that xxxx”, as if the word ‘wog’ is just as normal as ‘lad’ or ‘boy’. My lecturer said she noticed that there’s a ‘normalization’ of the meaning and using of the word ‘wog’, which was quite unacceptable many years ago.

And today, Trujillo, an ex CEO of Telstra, spoke and made headline in The Australia newspaper about how backward and racist Australia is according to him. Even the PM, Mr. Rudd, he pointed out as a racist too. The newspaper cynically cited a stats about how much did he earned in Australia, the country he condemned.

This morning, 26th May, on the tram. An old lady, looks like a Greek or Italian descend (with a big golden cross necklace on her neck, sadly, Jesus must haven’t been proud of her act), sat and having conversation with a friend until her friend got off on Stop 20 or 19. Then two women, a young and middle age, got in from Stop 15. They talked very fast, quite loud, with an East Asian language I could not identify whether it is Vietnamese or Mandarin. At stop 14, this old lady started to complain about their voice. She mumbled alone, and nobody noticed. Then she started increase the volume of her voice. Nobody cared. Then she started yelling at the two women without looking at them who stood at her back, near the door. Her voice was not clear, but she mentioned something about “Pipipipapapapepeepemenyemenye…(if you know the RACV ads on television where the man imitates his colleagues’ sentence to tease her, yeah, it’s like that ), huh, what language is that, if you want to talk loud like that, go back to your country, disturbing! Driver, please ask them to shut up”, with her disgusted face like she’s saying ‘You such uncivilized people!’. And these two women stopped a while before they spoke again; they toned down the voice now, but still loud ‘though, as if they didn’t care. Other passengers were silent. This lady, sought for an agreement from me, who gave her a plain gaze (with an MP3 player on my ears), and to an Indian man who looked disagree but said nothing, and to a Caucasian boy and his Asian girlfriend, whom, I thought were opinion-less or confused how to react, and to the Caucasian woman who sat beside her who acted like she did not hear anything. I almost commented, but it’s hard because I was getting off at Stop 11. Personally, I think the over talkative Asian women’s voice are indeed annoying, but this old Caucasian lady is also more annoying. Another explanation is may be simple: she’s stressful. And a big fat Caucasian man who stood beside me showed an almost laughed-face (he certainly thought she is just another stressful people), and headed to front row, avoiding himself from uncontrolled laugh. It’s hard to comprehend this as a problem of nationality or race, it’s probably just a sort of insanity of this old woman, but why out of her insanity, this expression of racism emerged? Is it because she herself a victim of that syndrome ‘you’re not that white either anyway?’ Don’t know.

Let’s see what happened in our own country, Indonesia. In 1990s, my first experience lived in Java. People asked: is that your real hair? Are you from Papua? Why you’re not as curly and as dark as Papuans? Did you eat maize and not rice? Eyebrows raised, curiously. And many asked: you must be from “luar pulau” (out-of-island), because first: you have darker complexion, curly hair, different accent, as if Java is the domain, and the other islands are just ‘the rest of the country’. The other ethnic may be an object of question because of their accent, but not their physical appearance, let’s talk plainly, it’s just as the US during Bush’ term called other countries as “the rest of the world”. I read somewhere why Papuans sometimes think they’re not part of the country. Watch the Indonesian television and one will find, hardly, any Melanesian faces there, unless your voice is really damn good. Admittedly, the darker your skin, the less aesthetic are you. And don’t say that we don’t know this public knowledge, that prostitutes from Manado and Jawa are those on the A list of the brothels in Papua that provides prostitutes in the big mining company up there (let’s say the initial is FP) because of the preference for lighter skin women. And then this Paskalis something’s incident in Jogja, where he as a (honorable!) DPR RI member asked Albertus, the Papuan student to ‘get married with wong Solo and upgrade himself’. What a f***.

I remember that my Chinese background friend in SMP, of course, with lighter skin complexion, but from poor family, always harassed by the boys and ‘brandals’ on our way back home (more than a kilometer away) by saying ‘Cina sipit cina sipit’. And since my friend did not want to confront with the brandals, it’s me who usually stop and argued with them, told them to shut up etc. In many parts of the country, they’re harassed because they’re richer. Their only fault is because they were born as different ethnic group, or should I say, different skin color, different race? Nobody bothered to think that Southern Yunan, China, is the origin of all Melayu and Indonesians in particular.

Now, let’s change setting. I met a Malaysian friend’s friend. We talked about Indonesia, and different parts of Indonesia. She said that I look like her housemaid who is from Flores. And then we talked about other part such as Java, Sumatra, etc. And she said, “Oh, I have pembantu from Sunda, Banten, Java, Sumbawa, Flores, etc. Like almost from every part of Indonesia”. Indonesia is a source of pembantu, plainly speaking. Even within the same rumpun of race, we’re of different class. And an Indonesian friend of Chinese descend who currently lives in Singapore, said that in her class, initially, she looked just as the same as every other Singaporeans, but when she mentioned that she’s from Indonesia, she received a sort of ‘look down’ gaze from the colleagues. And my foreigner friend (Caucasian) who said that his Chinese friend in country told him that ‘You know them, the pribumi, is always like that, lazy, xxxxx’. Everybody likes to victimize somebody.

Even in the religious environment setting, the rich Sheiks from Middle East definitely feel better than some poor Sudanese of same religion, the rich Americans feel better and chosen, than the poor fellows Christians from Pacific Islanders. Even at churches and mosques and temples, you still feel there’s a segregation of class. And don’t say that in kampong is better because people are more innocent there, indeed, in kampong, some rich people like to sit in front rows, in accordingly with that much money they contribute to church, with their much better look dresses (and I heard that in some areas, they demand an announcement about how much they actually give as kolekte).

This lecturer said that a friend told her that she went home earlier because in that club ‘these South Asian men –Indians mainly, desperately try to approach any white women around (for the purpose of getting PR and citizenship)’. And in my old office where an Indian guy mentioned that “Indonesians are lazy, not like us Indians”. On the other hand, many Indonesian friends also said ‘stay away from those Indians because they are filthy, smelly and pelit”. Everybody else seems to have something bad-generalization-prejudice, about everybody else.

The bottom line is, we feel better if we have something to be proud of, and there is always something bad about someone else, or other groups. We feel better if we think we are better than others. If it’s not our skin color (lighter is better), then our religion (Islam is better than Christian, and vice versa), or our face (beautiful vs ugly), or our gender (male vs females) or hair (straight is better than curly). If that does not work either, it’s my money (richer and poorer, investor and laborer). If not, it’s our education or brain (highly, not highly educated, smart and not smart). It is the self and other. It is the diametric way of thinking. Feel proud is OK, but when we feel too proud, we just want to eliminate others whom we perceived annoying: annoy our pride, annoy our source of pride. Or threaten our pride. Jewish annoyed Germans and other ethnics and religions, therefore some people, most prominently Hitler, thought they deserved to be condemned and abolished from this world. They themselves feel proud that they are the chosen ones, the landowner of Palestine, therefore now Palestinians annoy them because they almost outnumbered them.

Now, why don’t people realize that everybody’s hurt in this game of pride and prejudice? (with respect to Austen’s novel:). It is easy, isn’t it, to eradicate this stupid racism game: cut your pride low; accept the differences as a difference, as diversity, not in a vertical way (I-higher-than-you, we-better-than-they kind of attitude). We just need not to look down others on that basis. Imagine yourself in that position.

And we closed the class with a cup of coffee at Baretto café.

(Written on 26th May, as an outlet of my idea-less moment when I wrote my essays).

PS: this morning the Indian students’ protest in Melbourne CBD is on the headlines of The Age again. Reminding me to post this note I wrote a week ago.

Lelaki hujan

Entahlah. Hujan hari ini mencuri memoriku kembali. Aku ingat Al hari ini. Ingat senyum dan matanya. Ingat tatapannya yang jenaka. Ingat tawanya! Hujan selalu sukses mencuri logikaku, meninabobokan idealismeku, memaksaku untuk mengingatnya. Ia masih tak tergantikan; lelaki hujanku. Tunggu aku di Manokwari!

Perempuan Alam

Malam ini kala kembali lagi mengetuk – ngetukan jemariku di papan ketik komputer jinjingku, ingatanku terbang beratus ribu mil ke bagian utara benua ini, terbang mengarungi gurun dan lautan, mencoba mencapai dan mencium bau tanah yang sangat khas di rongga saluran napasku; Tanah Papua. Saat kembali mengetik ini, dadaku tiba – tiba terasa sesak dan berkata lirih pada diriku sendiri, “Apakah tanahku baik – baik saja hari ini? Apakah ia tak disakiti lagi? Apakah ia masih bisa tersenyum dan bertahan kala tubuhnya sedang dan akan terus disakiti dan dianiaya oleh orang – orang rakus bertampang suci, yang memamerkan senyuman soa – soa berbalut seringai beracun ular putih? “ Entahlah. Tapi aku tahu bahwa ia sedang bergulat melawan semua bentuk intervensi itu, bergulat dan berusaha bertahan.

Tulisanku kali ini lebih kepada refleksiku melihat perkembangan lingkungan hidup di Tanah Papua. Tulisan ini kubuat menyambut peringatan hari Lingkungan hidup dalam minggu pertama bulan ini.

Saat ini mungkin masih banyak orang di tanah Papua yang tak menyadari bahwa mereka beruntung dilahirkan di tanah penuh sejuta keindahan yang tak dapat terlukiskan oleh kata – kata. Mereka sedang bertumbuh dan menghirup udara di tempat dimana keanekaragaman hayati berpadu dengan keindahan budaya dan berjalin erat dalam kekayaan sumberdaya alam yang melimpah. Mereka sedang terlena dan tak menyadari bahwa kekayaaan alam mereka sedang diincar banyak pihak asing yang tak punya hati bagi tanah mereka. Mereka sedang berjalan dalam tidur mereka, dininabobokan oleh segala hal yang berkelebat dalam dunia modern, yang membuat mereka lupa bahwa alam ini; alam dimana para nenek moyang mereka bersumpah setia menjaganya; alam di mana manusia pertama dari keret mereka pernah dikuburkan; alam di mana nyanyian kanak – kanak mereka pernah dikumandangkan, sedang bergulat melawan upaya – upaya penghancurannya. Tanah ini sedang bergulat dan hampir sekarat menghalau para penyerangnya. Tanah ini sedang membutuhkan suatu upaya tindak nyata dari mereka yang mengaku pemilik tanah ini.

Tanah ini sejak 46 tahun lalu dan mungkin lebih lama dari kurun waktu itu telah menjadi semacam kue pemanis sebuah acara ulang tahun, yang usai perayaan siap – siap dibagi – bagi kepada siapa saja. Tanah ini ibarat anak perempuan yang usai dinikahkahkan secara paksa, harus mengabdikan diri pada lelaki yang tak dicintainya. Kerap kali ia melawan, tapi toh, ia telah terikat dalam ikatan itu; sebuah ikatan yang membuatnya susah menjadi dirinya sendiri, sebuah ikatan yang membutuhkan sebuah perubahan yang besar untuknya bila ia hendak bebas. Perempuan ini, setelah mengorbankan semua yang dipunyainya; kebebasannya, kecantikannya ternyata sang ‘suami’masih tak puas dan menuntut ia untuk bersedia menjadi babu dan dimadu. Sungguh kejam!

Perempuan ini yang melahirkan hutan, sungai, kolam, kali, mata air, pepohonan, manggewa – manggewa, bia – bia, kombrof, dan ratusan biota laut, penghuni ekosistem kolam, hutan, dan berbagai jenis bangsa burung, reptil dan mamalia, manusia berkulit gelap dan berambut keriting dalam berbagai bentuk dan ukuran, di usia tuanya ternyata hendak terusir atau terpaksa diusir dari tempatnya. “Ko su tra cantik lagi, ko su tra bole tinggal di sini, ko su tua, ko su tra laku”, adalah cercaan yang sering diterimanya tiap hari. Tapi rupanya cercaan itu masih saja tak cukup baginya. Perempuan tua ini masih saja diperkosa, dirampok , dipukul, diinjak, disepak dan dianiaya hanya karena ia memilih membela anak – anaknya. Ia enggan pergi karena ia tahu sejak dahulu, kala bintang masih turun di pucuk – pucuk pohon kelapa dan meminum sari kehidupan yang memabukan, kala reptil masih meliuk lincah dan berbicara dengan bahasa yang universal, kala burung – burung baru belajar memberi nama anak mereka, ia telah ada di sini. Ia telah mengakar, membumi!

Tempat tidur anak – anaknya telah dikotori dengan timbunan tailing beratus meter, taman bunganya kala mentari bersinar ramah telah hancur porak – poranda saat alat – alat berat itu melubangi dan memperkosa akar – akarnya. Kolam mandinya kala mentari bersinar garang telah dipenuhi dengan larutan minyak yang enggan terhapus, sampah plastik dan limbah cair. Kala ia sedang bersedih dan hendak menyendiri, ia tak mampu lagi karena dirinya hanyalah gelandangan yang tak punya tempat tinggal.

Ia tak mampu lagi menatap halaman rumahnya yang dulu menghijau penuh cinta karena sekarang suaminya telah memberikannya pada istri mudanya, yang menyewakannya kepada para pedagang berhati soa – soa dan ular putih. Tanaman – tanaman obat dan koleksi tanaman eksotisnya yang menunggu waktu diteliti, dieksplorasi guna kebaikan umat manusia dicabut paksa dan dibakar tanpa sisa demi memberikan ruang dan memanjakan koleksi tanaman rakus hara koleksi istri muda suaminya. Telah dipaparkannya pada suaminya bahwa sejak dahulu, koleksinya sangat berharga dan merupakan titipan mereka yang jauh di negeri atas angin, tapi toh, tak diacuhkan. Segelintir anaknya bersekongkol bersama suaminya menggelapkan surat tanah dan menggadaikan tanah pemberian moyangnya.

Suaranya telah kering memrotes dan berbicara, kerongkongannya telah lelah meneriakan kata “Tak adil. Hentikan!”. Tubuhnya semakin ringkih berkelahi, bertarung, bergulat dengan istri muda suaminya demi menyelamatkan anak – anaknya yang bergantung pada dusun mereka. Tapi toh, lagi – lagi, ia disepak, diinjak, ditendang, dianiaya hingga tubuhnya penuh luka. Tapi ia kembali lagi berusaha melindungi anak – anaknya yang yang tak pernah tahu cara bertahan di luar rimba mereka. Dilindunginya anak – anaknya yang mengandalkan biota kolam dan sungai serta mamalia sebagai sumber asupan protein dan dusun sagu sebagai penyumbang karbohidrat. Dengan tubuh tuanya, ia mencoba memberi makan cucu – cucunya yang sedang belajar menyelam dan berenang.

Entah sampai kapan ia bertahan. Entah sampai kapan aku bisa bertemu dengannya dan membaui aroma tubuhnya yang khas. Entah sampai kapan aku bisa mengecup pipinya lagi dan berenang bersamanya, berkisah tentang negeri emas yang entah berada di mana. Entah sampai kapan aku bisa melihat warisan kecantikannya dalam diriku. Tapi aku tahu, jauh di sana, dalam hatinya, ia tak pernah tua, ia tak pernah menyerah, ia tak pernah mati. Masih kuingat jelas kata – katanya kala malam itu kami berkisah dalam diam diiringi turunnya hujan di bawah kanopi hutan; dua gelandangan yang berusaha mencari jalan pulang. Masih jelas kata – katanya di hatiku:
“Aku telah tua, teman. Yang aku tahu, aku tetap akan ada di sini, Dan akan tetap ada,
Karena disinilah aku berada. Andai aku bisa berkisah seperti para manusia itu …”.

(Pearce, Canberra/ 1 Juni 2009)