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Cover
Table of Contents
Editorial
- Families of the Disappeared Unite!
Cover Story
-They do not ask for Charity… They demand Justice!
Country Situations
New Hopes for Ending Impunity in China
And Disappearances Continue…
Four-Year Effort To Reveal Disappearances: A Reflection
An Individual Tragedy With Universal Pain
The Human Rights Commission in
Sri Lanka
Photos:
Forum and Leadership Training
Legal Analysis
The UN Negotiation on the Draft Treaty…
Political Analysis
Showdown in Baghdad
Features
Daddy’s Diary
News Features
The Nilo Valerio Foundation’s Coming Into Being
No Closure ‘till Justice is Achieved
The Formation of Indonesian Association…
Year-End Report
– A Summary
2002 Revisited
Literary
Warning
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LITERARY
W A R N I N G
1
By Wiji Thukul 2
if the people leave
when the government is having speech
we must be careful
they might have been desperate
if the people hide
and whisper
when they talk about their own problems
the government should have to be alert and learn to listen
if the people don’t dare to complain
the situation is endangered
and if the government talk
can’t be argued
truth must be threatened
if the advice is refused with no consideration
the voice is silenced, criticism forbidden with no argument
accused of subversive and disturbing security
then there is only one word; resist!
Solo, 1986
1 This poetry is very famous among democratic activists in Indonesia, especially the last phrase that has become the common slogan for the demonstrators.
2 Wiji Thukul is a popular artist, an artist of the people. He produced many poetry concerning the situation of the marginalized and oppressed people, in which he lives in, and criticism to the government. He received several awards on literature both from Indonesia and other countries. He set up JAKER (People’s Arts Network) in 1994, in which he was the leader. He was one of the hit lists of the dictatorship Suharto government since then. He is then reported disappeared in early 1998, few months before the overthrown of Suharto.
VOICE April 2003
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