FORGOTTEN, NOT REMEMBERED © Duncan Graham 2006
The Netherlands War Graves Foundation does a great job maintaining its seven cemeteries in Indonesia.
But those that predate the war, like this one in Surabaya, are no longer respected. The tombs have been plundered for valuables. The ghouls’ tunnels remain open as a sign to others: ‘Don’t bother – we’ve robbed this corpse.’
There are flower sellers nearby, but the time for petals to be scattered at the Jalan Peneleh graveyard have long gone. Villagers use it for a shortcut. Washing hangs under the little roofs. Tree roots have lifted the slabs.
Some read: ‘Never to be forgotten.’ They lie.
Others have no words. The marble has been taken for tabletops. Angels weep over drying baskets. Neither fame nor fortune can protect the dead from the living. The one-time rulers of Java have turned to dust.
Historian Eddy Samson (pictured) and his friends have repaired a few broken graves for families in Europe who want their ancestors’ bones to rest in peace.
But most memorials are just crumbling – waiting for the time when the land will be needed for a highway or shopping mall. Then the last remnants of Dutch colonialism will be erased. Forever.
(First published in the Sunday Post 3 September 2006)
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FAITH IN INDONESIA
The shape of the world a generation from now will be influenced far more by how we communicate the values of our society to others than by military or diplomatic superiority. William Fulbright, 1964
3 comments:
Indeed, I have seen the same all over Malaya and Indonesia. It is NOT because they are graves of Colonials, but because these are CHRISTIAN graves and Muslims have no respect for other religions whatsoever, especially not for christian graves. I wonder what Muslims would say if we treat their graves the same way as they treat our graves. But, in the end, thet damage their own history, until it is too late. In general, Indonesians have little respect for their own culutural history. They are OBSESSED with their religion, but don't know much about the great culture and history of their own country, like the Majapahit Kingdom aso. I know, because I have been teaching them for over 10 years about their own history. I think I know more about it that they themselves....Sad sad sad....
Indeed, I have seen the same all over Malaya and Indonesia. It is NOT because they are graves of Colonials, but because these are CHRISTIAN graves and Muslims have no respect for other religions whatsoever, especially not for christian graves. I wonder what Muslims would say if we treat their graves the same way as they treat our graves. But, in the end, thet damage their own history, until it is too late. In general, Indonesians have little respect for their own culutural history. They are OBSESSED with their religion, but don't know much about the great culture and history of their own country, like the Majapahit Kingdom aso. I know, because I have been teaching them for over 10 years about their own history. I think I know more about it that they themselves....Sad sad sad....
Indeed, I have seen the same all over Malaya and Indonesia. It is NOT because they are graves of Colonials, but because these are CHRISTIAN graves and Muslims have no respect for other religions whatsoever, especially not for christian graves. I wonder what Muslims would say if we treat their graves the same way as they treat our graves. But, in the end, thet damage their own history, until it is too late. In general, Indonesians have little respect for their own culutural history. They are OBSESSED with their religion, but don't know much about the great culture and history of their own country, like the Majapahit Kingdom aso. I know, because I have been teaching them for over 10 years about their own history. I think I know more about it that they themselves....Sad sad sad....
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