When my grandpa was “picked up” from his house in 1965, he said exactly that: that he was not afraid, because he had done nothing wrong. Still, he was disappeared, just like that.

My grandma, who had lost her husband – when I asked her why she didn’t just leave the country, why against all odds she returned exactly to the place where her house was flattened to the ground, to rebuild everything, said the same thing: if I had left and never returned, people would think I had indeed done something wrong. I am not afraid, because I had done nothing wrong, she said. 

Sometimes I feel quite angry thinking about this – because of this stupid principle, they didn’t only sacrifice themselves, but also all their family and their descendants. There are times though when I feel quite proud, although sometimes I think feeling proud of this is actually quite naive. What I know for sure is that even when their persistence edges on stubbornness, they’re good people – and I want to be like them. 

​Tintin Wulia
#living1965 #1965setiaphari