“Indonesia Tidak Hadir di Bumi Manusia: Pramoedya, Sejarah, dan Politik” by Max Lane
In the world of Pramoedya Ananta Toer, the author of this book, Max Lane, should not need any introduction.
Like the fifth Beatle to John, Paul, George, and Ringo, I consider Max Lane as the “fourth member” of the mighty force of Hasta Mitra publishing trio: Pramoedya Ananta Toer (writer), Joesoef Isak (editor), and Hasyim Rachman (editor in chief); plus Max Lane as the unsung hero who translated the books into English language and spread them to the international stage.
And as Pram’s translator, and as the only remaining one of the 4 that is still alive, his insight into Pram’s ideas can be considered as the closest thing to Pram’s own way of thinking.
This book is exactly that, Lane’s memoir into Pramoedya and his works. While “Indonesia out of Exile” (by Lane as well) was the biography of the Hasta Mitra trio, this book dive deeper into Pram’s views and how his harsh experiences shaped his ideas for the books.
For example, it’s been established in plenty of Pram’s biographies that he was arrested in 1960 by Soekarno’s regime for his writing. But this book explains more about which writings in particular: his essays that criticize the government for subjected the Chinese community of abuse, banning them from doing business outside the provincial capital cities, with right-wing politicians scapegoating them for the economic troubles (with all of the essays then compiled into a book “Hoakiau in Indonesia”).
This book also shows that despite being jailed by the Soekarno regime, Soekarno himself had nothing to do with it and was unable to release Pram from prison, and that Pram remains loyal to Soekarno’s vision of Indonesia and that the “revolution is not over yet.” It shows how chaotic 1950s-1960s politics were in Indonesia, where Soekarno’s backers such as PNI and PKI were outnumbered by the Military (who had seats in the parliament) and right-wing parties.
However, it is also important to note that although Soekarno did not initiate the discriminative laws, he also did not stop it for going into effect, because his priority is political stability between the nationalist, religious, and communist factions. A political compromise at the huge cost of the Chinese and subsequently Pramoedya’s unjust imprisonment.
Indeed, the book shows the chaotic reality of Indonesian revolution. Not only in the 1940s struggle for independence, but also in 1950-1960s unstable era of post-independence, the Suharto dictatorship era, and even way back in the Majapahit era by discussing Pram’s trilogy of “Arok Dedes”, “Arus Balik”, and “Mangir” that show the DNA of nationalism without mentioning the name Indonesia and the uprising against unjust rulers (something that has never changed, hence it is why Pram said the revolution is not over yet).
All in all, the book feels like a director’s cut of a great movie, a further commentary over Pram’s greatest thinking and greatest works. But it can also treated, if you must, as a cheat book to read if you don’t have the time to read all of the 2000 pages of Buru Quartet or his many other books. This book alone meets the very minimum for a basic introduction to all of his main ideas.
But of course, if you only read this one you’re missing out on Pram’s masterpiece deep dive into Indonesian history, and the many ideas of one of the greatest Indonesian thinkers of all time.
THE CHAOS THEORY 