INDONESIA-EKA KURNIAWAN NAMED 2018 PRINCE CLAUS LAUREATE

Posted by AsiaViews | Sep 6, 2018 | 0 |

Jakarta Post-Sept 6

Indonesian author Eka Kurniawan was among winners of the 2018 Prince Claus Awards announced by The Prince Claus Fund on Thursday. According to a statement, Eka has been named among this year’s Prince Claus laureates and will receive €25,000 (US$29,000) for “his profoundly imaginative storytelling, the remarkable beauty of his prose and the universal relevance of his subject matter; and for confronting violent political acts that are absent from official discourse and examining controversial issues in a way that people can really relate to, helping them to reclaim stories of their past and construct a better understanding of their country”.

He was also recognized for “projecting the distinctiveness of Indonesian culture and giving status to local stories and myths; for highlighting the power of language and literature in the way we perceive and process information on difficult topics, particularly at a time when language is hijacked by those in authority; and for bringing attention for alternative readings of Indonesian history, stimulating long-overdue awareness and greater understanding of his homeland”.

The awards honor outstanding culture and development achievements. Held annually, it recognizes individuals, groups and organizations that have significantly contributed to regions “where resources or opportunities for cultural expression, creative production and preservation of cultural heritage are limited”, namely Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Eka has been named a Prince Claus laureate alongside Ugandan playwright, film and theater-maker Adong Judith, Syrian architect Marwa al-Sabouni, Filipino artist and filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik and Brazilian independent journalism and cultural platform O Menelick 2º Ato.

Other winners of the awards were South African training institute and cultural platform Market Photo Workshop, which was named a Principal Prince Claus laureate; and South African dancer and choreographer Dada Masilo, who was recognized with the Next Generation Award.

For this year, the committee had received 85 nominations after formally inviting 213 cultural experts to nominate candidates for the awards.

The Prince Claus Awards will be given to the laureates in a ceremony at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam in December, which will be attended by the Dutch royal family.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2018/09/06/eka-kurniawan-named-2018-prince-claus-laureate.html

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EXTRICATING NDONESIAN CHILDREN FROM ISIS INFLUENCE ABROAD

Indonesia urgently needs to revisit the possibility of repatriating the neediest of its young citizens stranded abroad, whose families had earlier joined ISIS. Most of these children are in camps in northern Syria but there are also small numbers in the Philippines, Afghanistan and Iraq. “Extricating Indonesian Children from ISIS Influence Abroad”, the latest report from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) argues that the government could begin by bringing back small groups of unaccompanied children under ten years of age, who pose minimal security risk and are most vulnerable to deteriorating conditions in the camps.“The problem is that health and security conditions are worsening by the day in the Syrian camps, and the children are growing older,” says Dyah Kartika, IPAC analyst. “They need access to schools, a nurturing environment, and medical attention. If the government waits too long, the children will be further exposed to ISIS ideology.” The new report examines a 2019 list of Indonesians in camps and prisons run by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Indonesian government has been trying to verify their citizenship, but with pseudonyms, misspellings and bad transliterations, it is a daunting task. At the time the data was collected, between March and June 2019, there were 555 Indonesians in SDF camps and prisons, including 367 children. Among the children, approximately 277 were under the age of ten and 34 were unaccompanied. In June 2021, there are fewer than ten children who are both unaccompanied and under the age of ten that could be prioritized for return. Bringing back children of ISIS families is no easy task. The report analyses the main challenges faced by the Indonesian government. These include definitional issues, bureaucratic competition, the difficulty of verifying nationality, evaluating the toll of exposure to conflict, assessing security risk, and finding relatives or others willing to provide care once the children are returned. In addition, COVID has meant stringent restrictions on travel, placing further obstacles in the way of repatriation. There are several models for rehabilitation of children exposed to violent extremism in Indonesia that could be modified to accommodate the needs of children repatriated from abroad. The report examines these models and argues that the government does not need to have every detail of rehabilitation programs in place before it starts extricating children from ISIS influence. It can start by bringing back the most vulnerable children and then modify programs as needed.

“It’s important that the government see these children as victims” says Dyah. “They deserve a chance to be children again.”

INDONESIA-EKA KURNIAWAN NAMED 2018 PRINCE CLAUS LAUREATE

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