We celebrated our 63rd year of Independence on Sunday, 17 August. I’m sure as usual, every single one of us all across the country, celebrated this special day with a whole day of festivities and fun. This has been a long-held tradition and the fact that as children we were constantly reminded of how hard it was for our ancestors to fight the Dutch and Japanese invasion and God knows who and what else makes this day worth celebrating.
As an Indonesian, the names of our national heroes who took part in the fight for our independence like Pangeran Diponegoro, Untung Suropati, Sutan Sjahrir, Agus Salim, Tengku Cik Di Tiro, Imam Bonjol and many others are very familiar to me, as are their stories. We grew up with their stories, at school in history lessons, and some are even made to comic books.
We have also strong and independent female national heroes like Cut Nyak Dhien and Cut Nyak Meutia, both of who are from Aceh, and then there are Dewi Sartika, Kartini, Martha Christina Tiahahu, Nyi Ageng Serang and more. All of these women had a significant role in the fight for our country’s independence and back then, people respected them.
I’m Acehnese with a part of Dutch, Arab, and West Java. Acehnese women are strong and Aceh had (notice the past tense) a previously strong culture of equality between men and women, proven by the fact that we had two well-known female national heroes from the region, who led the fight against the Dutch, with armies of men that they command.
What about now, what kind of greatness has the present Acehnese women achieved? I’m sorry, there is no respect or even freedom for women in the newly sharia-ruled Aceh. The slightest hint of hair will get a woman arrested by the “sharia police” chauvinists that has forgotten what Aceh is all about. They still have no independence, once colonized by the Dutch, then by the new order, now by Saudi loving chauvinists.
I worked in Jakarta from 1997 to 2001, during which I have seen many women treated badly in the workplace, gotten far less respect and salary than their male colleague, and being sexually harassed with the harassers easily getting away with it. No law and no protection. These things are viewed as “normal”, they could either shut up and let it happen, quit or get fired. There was even a popular analogy called the “rocking chair ” analogy. For women, the better they “rocked” their male bosses, the higher chair/position they can get. I was fortunate not to have experienced anything that bad, but what about those who did?
I wonder how the strong women who fought for the country’s independence, for women’s right and equality will react if they know that what they believed in and what they fought for is now taken for granted? The fact that there are still many Indonesian women out there today that are dependent on other people, who do not get the respect they deserved, and many who are even living this dependent lifestyle by their own choice is like having shit all over their hard work. They must be tossing and turning in their graves.
In the western world, the men respect their women more than our men do us. Western men have no choice because their women are empowered and strong, they will not be taken for granted, they will not stay quiet if walked upon, and although many western men seem to hate those they dearly call feminist bitches, thanks to these so-called “bitches” many of the women there are able to live their lives just as their men do.
Now, 63 years after we have gained and claimed our independence with the help of strong Indonesian women everywhere, we all now feel grateful that we are an independent nation, that we have our freedom, that life is good.
Life is good? Says who? Are we really independent as a nation? Don’t we still depend on IMF? World Bank? Other countries? Foreign aid?
How about the lives and freedom of Indonesian women? What about the fates of our predominantly female TKI (domestic helpers) overseas? How about those working for Indonesian employers who are as bad and abusive as foreign employers? How about those who are forced to work as hard laborers or even hookers to make ends meet? What about the homeless? Where’s the freedom for them?
The Independence of Indonesia and its people that was supposed to be enjoyed by every single one of the Indonesian people is now enjoyed only by a wealthy minority and those in the government. The majority, who are not wealthy, and women in general, are in uncertainty. They have also no social, legal or other protection from the government.
So, I will ask again. Independence for all Indonesians? I think not, especially not for the women. And nobody in power is giving a damn about it and instead are sweeping all the dirt under the rug, as expected.
So let’s celebrate our independence year after year with krupuk eating contests, panjat pinang, and festivities because at least for a day, we can all escape from the reality and pretend like we are all free when in fact most of us are not.
Yesterday evening, the people in my area celebrate Independence Day by setting up a stage and perform karaoke nights singing songs like “Jablay”, “Kucing Garong” and “Tenda Biru”.
Frankly, I don’t know which one is worse, those competing in Lomba Makan Kerupuk, or my neighbours doing their best impersonation of Desy Ratnasari.
Either way, they’re both ridiculous but maybe our Independence Day will become an excuse for everyone to celebrate and waste money – just like how people put green food colouring in their mash potatoes and get drunk on St. Patrick’s Day.
You’re right Rims – as a woman, we still have a long way to go before we can be fully liberated. As long as the average Indonesian mindset that thinks of women as second class citizen still exist, we’re still fighting our battles to be given equal rights.
“Oooohhhhh I should be there.. I rock karaoke contests!! lol
on a more serious note, we are fighting to be heard and be taken more seriously, not just a piece of ass that people think we are..”
kinda agree with you, mbak! recently, we don’t have our independence fully. or we just don’t know what to do with our independence? haha… weird!
“either one is true..sad, isnt it?”
It’s a good thing you and Bilbo are on two different continents. If the two of you got together in the same room I think there is a thing called “critical mass” that might be reached.
“It will be interesting if one day you, he and I meet. I wonder what sort of thing we can all come up with..lol ..
between the tree of us, we might be able to dominate the world!”
“How about those working for Indonesian employers who are as bad and abusive as foreign employers?”
My guess is that, generally speaking, working conditions would be better with foreign employers – if only because they have their own laws to consider. Also, some of us live in perpetual fear of the dreaded ManPower investigation. Even on the TKI front, my experience is that foreigners generally pay their domestic helpers better and provide better working conditions.
I think you could replace “woman” in this article with “poor” or “disadvantaged” or “disenfranchised” and it would still ring true. There is a disgusting and morally defunct emerging trend here: exploit the fuck out of everything and everyone you can. Show no mercy.
“No, I’m not talking about the foreign employers in Indonesia, I’m talking about the domestic helpers overseas, in a foreign country. Generally expats in Indonesia treat their domestic helpers decently”
…oh, and when a Westerner questions your morality, tell them they just don’t understand Indonesia. Like fuck!
“lol…
Brett darling, our set of morality is different than yours.. oh, you just dont understand indonesians..”
it’s all about bastard-turned-politician guys and ladies who ruined this country. that’s why we should still fight for our independence and drive the bastards out of our beloved country (out to nusakambangan)..
please gimme your comment on this:
http://jed.revolutia.info/2008/08/mengapa-becak-harus-kembali-ke-jakarta.html
thanks.
“yes, I agree with you. and I read your writing, very good piece!”
Its sad Rima.
We have the same problems all over the world. Women’s rights, fought for over the last hundred years, are being eroded by mindless religious bigots.
And its not just simple rights, like the right to wear a short skirt or an uncovered head. Its basic legal rights. The right to be a legal entity, and not a “chattel”.
We worry about global warming, and the world our children will inherit. I think we should worry just as much about their future freedoms and opportunities, because they are disappearing as fast as the forests.
“Absolutely right. We have a lot of problems in our hands, and I can only hope than slowly everybody will realise that and start working together to solve the problem..
Where have you been? Long time no news.. nice to have you back PB!”
Sometimes I wonder, why Cut Nyak Dien and other heroines who fought for Indonesian independence don’t have their special day just like R.A Kartini? We should have Cut Nyak Dien day for example. I believe that Cut Nyak Dien had given her great contribution to her country by immolating her family even her, herself to fight those colonists. Sorry, for being OOT
In working part, I am fully agree with you Mbak. I even myself had gone through with those things since my first day working. Of course I was angry to those mental illness men but then I realize there is no use to angry to them, my anger will feed their adrenaline that I was such a challenging lady need to be conquered. I tried to focus to my job descriptions, to be more aware with my surroundings, etc. If we, ladies are decisive, assertive, professional, discipline, highly-motivated and just ignore them. Even i without hesitate or intimidated, report to my boss about their bugging attitude, as long as I have evidence and I am right, I AM NOT AFRAID!
Oh ya, usually they are not just harassing ladies but also bullying them. Office bullying.
I don’t want to be a woman who step on man’s head but I don’t want to be a doormat beneath their feet. I believe both man and woman are equally have the same rights especially in achieving career
Btw, happy independence day! Di Brussels ada lomba panjat pinang gak?!
“no panjat pinangs here yon.. lol.. thanks for the wishes!”
Rim, I’m totally agree with you on this, freedom only apply for rich people and their troops.
Btw, you and Therry is indeed soul mate :p
“We are, aren’t we? It’s so strange that we both had similar ideas at the same time.. kita aja bingung..lol”
this is really way too spooky…. it’s like having a deja vu coming here right after reading Therry’s blog LOL
“I knowwww.. gue juga ter-spook.. hhahahha”
Indonesia memang masih jauh banget dari makmur. Pusing gw kalau mikirin satu2, apalagi gw sendiri banyak ngalamin hal2 ngga enak selama tingal di Ind (peranakan cina I am).
Tapi kalau diliat2 sejarah negara maju, misalnya Prancis, setelah revolusi pembebasan bastille itu, Prancis butuh waktu berratus2 tahun dan pemerintahan yang berbeda2 untuk sampai maju seperti sekarang (sekarang pun masih diprotes presiden2nya). Walaupun kalau mau banding2an sih, pas dulu abis revolusi, prancis kan menggal2 kepala para koruptor mereka ya … sementara di Ind, lah kok koruptor2 masih teteeeup aja tajir ya? hehehe. Pusing.
Tapi gw tetep percaya sih dengan banyaknya orang2 seperti elo yang vokal dan care dengan negara, pelan2 Indonesia akan berubah. Sepelan apa? heheh siput kalah pelan kali. Lah kan motto orang Ind: biar lambat asal selamat. Amin, mudah2an ibu pertiwi bisa diselamatkan.
“Amiiiin…”
[...] bloggers therrysays and Rima Fauzi ponders about the essence of independence (or the lack of it) in contemporary Indonesian society. [...]
Say(ur), how are you dear?
IMHO, Indonesia may be free from the colonialization, but not from its own stupidity. It’s still brainwashing its citizen, through religion mainly, choking them with dogmas and scaring them away -if you don’t practice this dogma you shall rot in hell- and throwing them even deeper into a bottomless poor life.
When one is educated well enough, doesn’t have to be in a formal one like college, one could think for oneself and make a decission by oneself.
“EXACTLY! Which is why I like to make my own decisions and use my brains and logics instead of being stuck in a silly and illogical dogmas that just doesn’t make sense and most times is just downright immoral and evil”
[...] What have they done to protect women? [...]
merdeka!!!