Hundreds Of Activists And Registors Celebrate The 60th Anniversary Of Wiji Thukul

Hundreds of activists and poets who are members of the coalition against forgetting, held a celebration event for the 60th anniversary of Wiji Thukul (photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Hundreds of activists and poets who are members of the coalition against forgetting, held a celebration ceremony for the 60th anniversary of Wiji Thukul, a missing poet and human rights activist during the New Order era.

Former Democratic People's Party activist Wilson said the activity was carried out to give a message to the authorities that the kidnapping case of Wiji Thukul and his friends had not yet been completed.

"Actually, only the faith of the authorities, because there have been recommendations from the DPR in 2009, there are two important things, one of which is forming a search team for missing activists," said the member of the Advisory Council of the Indonesian Missing Persons Family Association (Ikohi) quoted by Antara.

The activity entitled "Happy Birthday Wiji Thukul, Where Are You?", it was held at the Gambir National Gallery, Jakarta, Saturday (26/8) night. The participants were compact wearing a black t-shirt with a picture of Wiji Thukul and it was written "The Coalition Against Forgetting: Good People Don't Choose Kidnappers".

Various series of activities were carried out in this event. Starting from poetry to music performed by fellow poets and musicians who have fought with Wiji Thukul. One of them is Usman Hamid, a former activist who currently serves as Executive Director of Amnesty International.

Usman said that the struggle to find the truth of lost friends must continue to be inflamed. The mastermind behind the operation to eliminate activists must also be thoroughly investigated.

I think many have the same questions. For me they (activists who are victims of kidnapping) are like flowers that have to wither. But the struggle to find them doesn't stop, "he asserted.

The name Wiji Thukul is known to the public thanks to his poetry that loudly criticizes New Order authoritarianism and his determination to fight for the rights of marginalized groups. Wiji Thukul's struggle made him forcibly eliminated whose existence was unknown until now.

Before disappearing, Wiji Thukul also became a fugitive who made him have to hide and move from place to place so as not to be arrested by the authorities.