Author: Okky MadasariPublisher: PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama
Publication Date: February 2012
Pages: 280
Yang namanya keyakinan memang tak bisa dijelaskan.
Ia akan datang sendiri tanpa harus punya alasan.
Ia akan datang sendiri tanpa harus punya alasan.
The third book written by one of the best Indonesian writers, Okky Madasari after Entrok and 86. This time Okky tells about violence and discrimination against minority. She delivers her message through Maryam, a young woman, who lives in Lombok with her family. What's so special about Maryam's family? They're all muslims but they are believers of Ahmadiyah, one of religious sect. What is Ahmadiyah?
By reading Maryam's story we will get a description of life as an Ahmadi. It turns out most of them have become Ahmadi since they were born. The belief has been inherited from their parents, grandparents even the great-grandparents. They live peacefully in Gerupuk, one of the villages in Lombok, but being 'different' is never be easy. Since elementary school usually Ahmadi kids have been labeled 'deviant', the problem is getting more complicated when they grow up, going to college, working outside Lombok and fall in love with non-Ahmadiyah believer. This condition usually leads to a family conflict.
But out of the blue, their life turn upside down. One day they are suddenly asked to leave their village. Their houses are destroyed, some are burnt, they need to live all their belonging without really knowing the actual reason. They lose everything. They are finally evacuated to a place without knowing how to save their belonging and until when they must leave together in that temporary place.
According to the author, she isn't an Ahmadi herself, she didn't write about Ahmadiyah or defend Ahmadiyah. She just wants to share about life as a minority and how they are being discriminated. How they become a victim without any legal process. The book was written based on fact. It took six months for the author to do research including interviewing the victims in Lombok.
I read all Okky's books. I notice that she always comes out with different theme. She promotes the humanity. This time she hits me with new insights about being minority, change my point of view and mix my feeling with anger, sadness and sympathy. Nevertheless religious faith is a matter of individual freedom. The book is also completed with a CD of Okky & Friends. There are nine songs written by the author.
By reading Maryam's story we will get a description of life as an Ahmadi. It turns out most of them have become Ahmadi since they were born. The belief has been inherited from their parents, grandparents even the great-grandparents. They live peacefully in Gerupuk, one of the villages in Lombok, but being 'different' is never be easy. Since elementary school usually Ahmadi kids have been labeled 'deviant', the problem is getting more complicated when they grow up, going to college, working outside Lombok and fall in love with non-Ahmadiyah believer. This condition usually leads to a family conflict.
But out of the blue, their life turn upside down. One day they are suddenly asked to leave their village. Their houses are destroyed, some are burnt, they need to live all their belonging without really knowing the actual reason. They lose everything. They are finally evacuated to a place without knowing how to save their belonging and until when they must leave together in that temporary place.
According to the author, she isn't an Ahmadi herself, she didn't write about Ahmadiyah or defend Ahmadiyah. She just wants to share about life as a minority and how they are being discriminated. How they become a victim without any legal process. The book was written based on fact. It took six months for the author to do research including interviewing the victims in Lombok.
I read all Okky's books. I notice that she always comes out with different theme. She promotes the humanity. This time she hits me with new insights about being minority, change my point of view and mix my feeling with anger, sadness and sympathy. Nevertheless religious faith is a matter of individual freedom. The book is also completed with a CD of Okky & Friends. There are nine songs written by the author.
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