VIVAnews - After being stuck in Russia for 48 years, Sukirno Martosukarjo is finally home. Sukirno is one of the many victims of past political issue, which disallowed him to return to Indonesia.
At the age of 73, Sukirno was reunited with his relatives, including his nephew, top badminton player Sigit Budiarto, before a discussion session at the Foreign Affairs Ministry building in Jakarta on Wednesday, June 30.
To the Indonesian and Russian governments, Sukirno’s reunion with his family is a great present for the 60th anniversary of both countries’ relations.
Sukirno remembers the times he spent in Russia, which was back then called Soviet Union. In 1962, Sukirno proudly left for Russia in a foreign student exchange program. The young Sukirno had finally accomplished his dream of attending medical school in Moscow.
Later in 1965, a political dispute occurred in Indonesia and President Soekarno stepped down the following year. At the same time, Indonesian students in Russia formed a progressive students association to express their disapproval towards the coup d’état.
Sukirno was involved in the organization. Little did he know that his participation would lead to something fatal. Together with 12 leaders of the organization, Sukirno’s passport was revoked by the Indonesian government, who during the time was filled by the New Order regime officials. With no passport in hands, Sukirno and his friends were unable to go back to Indonesia.
Fortunately, the Cold War has long ended and during the past few years, political conditions in Indonesia and Russia have changed. A similar change was also found in the Indonesian government policies, which affected the victims of past political victims like Sukirno.
He said he was informed by Hamid Awaluddin, the Indonesian Ambassador for Russia since 2008, that there has been a change in citizenship law in the country that allows Sukirno to reclaim his passport.
However, the ability has left a little disappointment for Sukirno. He had to give up his Russian citizenship, which he received in 1992, because Indonesia cannot approve its citizens’ requests to have a dual citizenship.
In the end, Sukirno decided to keep his Russian citizenship because the recent condition, especially his age, has made it hard for him to be back being an Indonesian. “I choose to live there because here [Indonesia], I can’t work,” Sukirno, who is now a professor in medical study, said.
But, he is glad that Russia and Indonesia’s relation, which has been running for 60 years, is getting more opened. “I can go anywhere without any problem”.
The Yogyakarta native also utters his regret of not being able to apply the knowledge he earned in Russia to Indonesia. “I actually studied medicine to work in my home country,” he said.
Meanwhile, Awaluddin is content to be able to reunite Sukirno with his family. According to him, both countries’ relationship has been improving.
“During thirty two years of the New Order era, the relation of the two countries wasn’t broken off. It was dull. But, since Soviet changed into Russia and Indonesia went through reformation, a solid bond was recreated,” he said.
“To me, the proudest thing is knowing that Russia’s new generations, age 18 to 24, are interested in studying Bahasa Indonesia. They dance, they sing Indonesian songs like Widuri or Butet in Batak language,” the former Legal and Human Rights Minister said.
The volume of Indonesia-Russia trade in 2009 has reached US$ 1.5 billion. The number, Awaluddin said, is far fewer than the trade volume of Indonesia and other countries. However, compared to previous years, the number is relatively high.
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Translated by: Nataya Ermanti
mastro
14/09/2010
