Mulyono Sri Hutomo – The Campus Employees Union (SPK) took part in commemorating 100 years of Pramoedya Ananta Toer at an event titled A Century of Pramoedya Ananta Toer at the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts and culture centre in Jakarta on Saturday February 8.
The SPK joined eight other social organisations at the event including the Indonesian People's Union of Struggle (SPRI), the Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance (KASBI), the Indonesian People's Movement Confederation (KPRI), United People's Struggle (KPR), the National Trade Union Confederation (KSN), the Progressive Students School (SEMPRO), Solidarity Net (Solidaritas.net) and Koreksi.
"Pramoedya Ananta Toer is one of the writers and great intellectual and cultural figures in Indonesia. Pram is known for works that are critical of the authorities. Through these works, Pram taps into the conscience of many people. For Pram, literature is part of the struggle against injustice", said the SPK coordinator for the Greater Jakarta area, Adek Risma Dedees, who was present with dozens of other SPK members.
Dedees added that presumably this continues to inspire community social movements, including campus trade unions. The SPK not only fights for the welfare of campus workers, but also as a forum for intellectuals who are able to think and be critical.
"Happy birthday Pram. Long live your critical ideas and struggle", she said.
On the same occasion, SPK Chairperson Dhiya Al-Uyun expressed support for trade union work in the arts and culture.
Pramoedya was born on February 6, 1925 in Blora, a small town in the northern part of Central Java. He was the eldest of nine children from the couple M. Toer and Saidah.
Pramoedya has written dozens of literary books and hundreds of short stories and essays, some of which have been translated into all the main languages in the world, as well as several other languages in Asia and Europe.
The commemoration of One Century of Pramoedya Ananta Toer was also attended by historian Hilmar Farid and Australian academic Max Lane. Lane is widely known as the translator of Pram's works into English.
In addition to this, a number of artists such as renowned Indonesian sculpture and artist Dolorosa Sinaga, activist and musician Ananda Badudu and Ubaidilah Muchtar, the head of the Multatuli Museum, joined in enlivening the activity.
In addition to attending directly to support the 100th anniversary of Pramoedya Ananta Toer, SPK members also got people to sign an urgent petition to make Indonesian national literature a compulsory subject for elementary, junior and senior high schools.
- An English translation of the petition calling for natural literature to be made a compulsory subject in schools can be read here: https://www.indoleft.org/statements/2025-02-07/petition-marking-a-century-since-the-birth-of-indonesian-literary-giant-pramoedya.html
- The original Chang.org petition in Bahasa Indonesia and can be signed here: https://www.change.org/p/peringatan-satu-abad-kelahiran-pramoedya-ananta-toer-sastrawan-besar-indonesia
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Serikat Pekerja Kampus Ikut Peringatan 100 Tahun Pramoedya Ananta Toer di Taman Ismail Marzuki".]
