The 15th Ubud Writers and Readers Festival let the Indonesian writers and activists' talked about the pressing issues about Indonesia today. From unacknowledged sexual violence to the LGBTQ rights and environmental problems, Indonesia is facing a lot of challenges that need to be addressed.
Sexual Violence
Saras Dewi, poet, academic, and activist, revealed there was a rise of reported sexual violence in Indonesia. There were about 348,000 complaints about this act made in 2017. But not all Indonesian women have the ability to file a complaint, so the total victim of this cruelty maybe larger in numbers.
"The largest amount of violence occurs in the private sphere - in courtship and marriage," Dewi said, via the South China Morning Post. Indonesian women opt not to go to the public when they encountered sexual violence as they often get criticized.
Dewi explained that Indonesia's legal system is "very male and patriarchal." Policemen and judges would usually ask victims about the clothes they were wearing or why they were out when sexual violence occurred.
"I think our culture is the single biggest issue right now," Dewi suggested. Although there are changes in Indonesia's laws, unfortunately, it doesn't happen systematically.
Dewi cleared that there is a law against domestic violence in Indonesia. In fact, they have fought for it for 12 years. So, the new generation is continuously fighting for the recognition of sexual violence in the country.
LGBTQ Issues
Norman Erikson Pasaribu, writer and poet, claimed that being queer in Indonesia is often find as "unnatural, westernized, and un-Indonesian." Most Indonesians forget the European colonialism's impact on the country's society. In fact, pre-colonial times of the nation was more open to sexual and diversity.
Unfortunately, violence against Indonesia's LGBTQ people starts at home. Boys get beaten or sent to Islamic boarding schools. Girls, on the other hand, experience corrective rape by forcing them into marriage.
Doni Marmer, environmentalist, poet, and LGBT community member, added that the group's issues become intertwined with religion. There is even a campaign to criminalize gay people that belong to religious groups.
Environmental Problems
Marmer also talked about Indonesia's environmental problems. He said that the country is mainly an agricultural nation, but it is now affected by industrialization, per The Guardian.
He also revealed that it is hard to educate Indonesian people about climate change. As the country has 81,000km of coastline, the rise of its sea level becomes a major threat.
Animal extinction is also one of the many problems Indonesia has to face. Illegal logging and heavy use of fertilizers greatly affect its forests.
Emmanuela Shinta, Dayak activist, filmmaker, and environmentalist, added that palm oil expansion, which causes rapid deforestation, and a forest fire are one of the pressing problems in Indonesia. In fact, Kalimantan has lost 1.5m hectares of forest every year because of forest fires. It also released more carbon emissions in 2015. Thus, people in the region breathe polluted air.
Marmer suggested that the best solution to preserve Indonesia's environment is to get people involved. The country has to work with its citizens. Shinta added that the indigenous people should also get included to solve the nation's environmental problems. "By engaging closely with their lives, livelihood, culture, and developing their knowledge, I'm sure we can do better in protecting the earth," Marmer said.
