Singgih Wiryono, Danu Damarjati, Jakarta – Human rights activist Usman Hamid and the band The Blackstones commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference (KAA) at an event held by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Central Leadership Board (DPP) History Agency in Jakarta on Saturday April 26.
At the event themed From Bandung to the World: Bung Karno's Legacy for Global Social Justice, Hamdi said that he believed that it will be impossible for Indonesia to advance if its leaders did not remember the messages of human rights that have been fought for in history, such as at the Asian-African Conference.
Therefore, Hamid and The Blackstones performed socially critical songs and played a recording of Indonesia's founding president Sukarno's (known as Bung Karno) voice opening the Asia-Africa Conference in 1955.
Unfortunately, said Hamid, Indonesian politicians have forgotten history, in particular the dark history of human rights that occurred during the New Order regime of former president Suharto, who ruled Indonesia with an iron fist for 32 years.
Usman specifically criticised today's politicians who wanted to declare Suharto as a national hero, one of the reasons being Suharto's services through ASEAN. According to Hamid, when reflecting on the KAA, Suharto actually becomes even more unworthy.
Not only did he leave behind an era of human rights violations, but also with ASEAN, Suharto collaborated with western powers to prevent another Asian-African Conference, after many Asian-African Conference leaders were overthrown: Congolese President Patrice Lumumba (1961), Brazilian President Joao Goulart and Sukarno himself (1965).
During his performance on stage, Hamid reminded the audience that the anti-racism message at the KAA was reflected in the diversity of the delegates present, from black, yellow to brown skinned.
"From Sukarno Indonesia, [Kwame] Nkrumah Ghana, [Jawaharlal] Nehru India, [Gamal Abdel] Nasser Egypt, to Zhou Enlai China. From Muslims, Christians, Atheists to Confucians. From socialists, liberals, to communists. All united", said Hamid.
Hamdi has just released a vinyl album entitled Bumi dan Aku Kini (The Earth and Me Now) which contains nine songs, all of which carry messages of social criticism about human rights, social justice and the environment.
Vocalist and PDI-P politician Once Mekel also provided guest vocals for four songs on the album: the songs Munir, Bumi dan Aku Kini, Sakongsa and Kemanakah, which was also sung by Fajar Merah, the son of abducted radical poet Wiji Thukul.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Usman Hamid dkk Bawakan Lagu Kritik Sosial di Peringatan KAA PDIP".]
