First Dog socks now in stock at the Crikey Emporium!
A cautionary tale…
Aceh: the only Jew in the village
|
The small sign in my bare hotel room in Banda Aceh was clear. “It is forbidden to bring a woman/man who are not husband or wife into the hotel.” I saw similar messages in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Gaza. I was in Aceh as a guest of the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival and conducted a number of satellite events with the local community. My translators were primarily girls in the final year of school, their proficiency of English and popular culture an example of the inherent contradictions between Muslim devotion and youthful curiosity. This Indonesian province takes its Islam very seriously. The provincial parliament of Aceh recently passed a criminal bylaw that supported the death penalty, stoning and flogging for homosexual acts and adultery. They are draconian moves in a devoutly religious area. But this is largely the only side of Aceh captured by the Western press when it considers mentioning the territory at all. After the devastating 2004 tsunami that killed over 220,000 Indonesians, Aceh was the worst affected area. It was year zero. Entire families were wiped out. Writer Azhari – whose new book of translated poetry, Nutmeg Woman, is released this month – now lives in a shared apartment, with no living relatives to speak of. “I’m alone”, he told me, chain-smoking, “but my writing sustains me.” Azhari’s work covers the period before the 2005 peace deal between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian government. The majority of Acehnese I met said they would rather independence than integration – “we are really nine separate countries with distinct ethnic groups”, an editor at the local newspaper Harian Aceh argued – but peace always came with a price. The West Papuan struggle was warmly embraced. East Timorese freedom was praised. I sometimes sensed jealously at their relatively newfound independence. Indonesian nationalism in Aceh was hard to detect. How to remember the tsunami is a hot subject of debate and most people I saw believed that a living memorial was essential? “The Acehnese people are still grieving”, a journalist said, when I asked about the importance of Palestine in the province. “We care deeply about our brothers and sisters in Gaza” – one young man, under 20, said he wanted to fly to fight against the Israelis during their bombardment of the Strip in December and January and his views were not unique – but Palestine is a rallying cry, almost an abstract manifestation of the perceived injustices handed out by the West. The Middle East is a key unifier across the Muslim world. I was the first Jew most Acehnese had ever met or engaged. Nindy Silvie, a savvy 18-year-old in her final year of school who read Noam Chomsky, Christopher Hitchens and loved South Park, texted me a few days ago: “People here could love Jews now because of you.” During a radio interview with a Muslim talkback show, one girl called in to ask whether the Koran was correct when it allegedly said that, “Israel and Jews are the most cruel on the planet.” For many Muslims there, Jews are little more than occupiers and brutes in Palestine. The concept of anti-Zionism never entered their thinking or media. Aside from countless political discussions, the landscape revealed a harsh reality. A number of large ships lie marooned in the middle of neighbourhoods, having been ruthlessly plucked from the ocean and unceremoniously dumped far from shore. They have become tourist attractions and memorials – for the handful of visitors to the island, aside from aid workers and international NGOs – and climbing them offered an expansive view of Banda Aceh and its surroundings. Misty mountains framed the skyline. Poverty is ubiquitous, the only modern buildings and infrastructure provided by foreign donors, including the mosque-like airport, and religion has long been a central facet of life. But it’s a complex relationship. Women on the streets were mostly veiled but Britney Spears appeared on the front page of the daily newspaper with an uncovered head. Alcohol is only available underground. Men and women can’t embrace in public and often sat separately at public events, voluntarily, “because they do it every day”, a young woman said. The legacy of occupation lingers. Wounds are not healed from decades of insurrection and Indonesia, like many powerful states, seems reluctant to investigate its brutal past. The East Timorese know what this means. Send Crikey a letter from wherever you live or may be passing through to boss@crikey.com.au with the title “Letter from” in the subject field. |
|
|
9 Comments
That’s brilliant Antony. Thank you so much for this eye opening and worldly letter. I didn’t realise until you wrote this that the answer to ignorant prejudice (“…the Koran was correct when it allegedly said that, “Israel and Jews are the most cruel on the planet.” For many Muslims there, Jews are little more than occupiers and brutes in Palestine) is for you to visit and tell them … what exactly did you tell them… ??? Your letter is missing what your response was, but you do mention that your answer inspired this: “People here could love Jews now because of you.” Is it too much to ask what your response was to this kind of blind hatred?
Great read I thought.
“their proficiency of English and popular culture an example of the inherent contradictions between Muslim devotion and youthful curiosity.”
Which planet are you living on, Anthony?
“The Middle East is a key unifier across the Muslim world.”
What is this “Muslim world” you speak of?
You’re a good writer, but this kind of gross generalisation doesn’t befit you.
So what did you say to the girl who alleged that the Koran said that, “Israel and Jews are the most cruel on the planet” ?
That was so interesting.
David:
The Jews are only one tribe from the nation of Israel which is 12 tribes. Essentially, the definition of a Jew is one who is from the tribe of Yehuda ( Judah ).
Today in the State of Israel is the Jews/Judah…but not Israel, the other 11 tribes. It’s an historical fact according to the Torah. Judah is part of Israel, bit it’s not Israel.
In the Torah, there is continual distinction between Judah and the nation of Israel. The nation of Israel were better known as the “Northern” tribes or known colloquially as Epraim due to that tribes population size.
Israel, the other eleven tribes disappeared from the radar screen and into oblivion around 500-700BCE…later Judah was also dispersed for the same reasons….Israel was scattered to the 4 corners of the earth as punishment for idolatry and abandoning the way of their fathers. They were mostly taken captive by the Assyrians and deported to the outlands of their captors empire where they began an outward migratory process to the 4 corners of the earth and they are yet to return…but who are they now????…don’t ask me that or I will tell you.
The scattering of the tribes of Israel is all highlighted in the Books of 1 &2 Kings…the threat to scatter them, which was acted on, is all through the Torah.
An example of the distinction between Judah and Israel is here:
“I saw that even though backsliding Israel had committed adultery, so thatI had sent her away and given her a divorce document ( deported ) her unfaithfull sister Judah was not moved to fear, instead she too went and prostituted herself.” Jeremiah 3:8-10
Note the disticntion.
There are countless more examples of the distinction between the two nations from the Hebrew Torah and prophets but nobody ever reads it so nobody ever cares, but not many Rabbis will disagree.
No charge!!!
I travelled all throughout Indonesia for eleven months from September 1998 to July 1999. Sumatra was traversed via the auspices of a motorbike. My girlfriend and I had a great time and the trip was multi-layered in things learnt and experienced. As I do when I travel I always try and adhre to the adage “When in Rome, do as Romans do”. I spent four weeks in Aceh. It is a truly beautiful part of the world with much potential. The Acehnese have had a fairly independent mindset for much of their history. Their future is best served by being part of the larger nation state of Indonesia. The amazing archipelago must retain its sovereignty. It is in Australia’s interest for Indonesia to retain it’s geographical integrity. The Acehenese have a belief in traditional values. If Indonesia and Aceh continue to travel down the road of strengthening
traditional values and practices, things will undoubtably work out for the best.
Hidup Indonesia !
Pity you didn’t ask for a reference for the alleged quote. For the record, Israel is never mentioned in the Koran, for the reasons mentioned above by other commenters.
>The Middle East is a key unifier across the Muslim world.
You know, to visit an area that’s suffered the world’s largest recent natural disaster, on top of a protracted guerrilla war… and see some sort of relevance in the Israel narrative shows how blinkered your viewpoint is.
I’d suggest you need to get out and see the world… but it doesn’t seem to have helped.
Weird perspective.