Diaspora & Cultural Criticism

ISSN 2005-3037 (Print) ISSN 2465-8804 (Online)

International Journal of Diaspora & Cultural Criticism

International Journal of

| Volume 7 Number 1 January 2017 |

Diaspora & Cultural Criticism Volume 7 Number 1 January 2017

Copyright © The Center for Asia & Diaspora, Konkuk University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form without the prior permission in writing from the copyright holder. Publication Date: January 31, 2017

ISSN 2005-3037 (Print) ISSN 2465-8804 (Online)

The Center for Asia & Diaspora

Published by The Center for Asia & Diaspora, Konkuk University 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 143-701, Republic of Korea Tel: +82-2-450-3806 Fax: +82-2-456-3807 Webpage: http://diaspora.konkuk.ac.kr/ Email: [email protected]

International Journal of

Diaspora & Cultural Criticism Volume 7 Number 1 January 2017 SPECIAL ISSUE Philippine Diaspora Introduction: Filipino, Filipinos, Everywhere Maria Luisa Torres Reyes Re-encodation of GUMIL Hawaii Writers’ Association as a Diacritic Site for Ilocano Hawaiian Representation Maria Socorro Q. Perez Writing a Personal Archipelago in Luis H. Francia’s The Eye of Fish Francis C. Sollano The Author as Reader: Gina Apostol and the Third World Metropolitan Intellectual Maria Gabriela P. Martin Yearning in Carlos Bulosan: Toward a Queer Working Class Consciousness Jeffrey Arellano Cabusao

Intersections of Diasporic Asian-American Literatures: A Comparative study between Zamora Linmark’s and Lois-Ann Yamanka’s Novel John Paolo Sarce Child of Two Nations: Indonesian Perspectives on the Case of Mary Jane Veloso Ramon Guillermo

ARTICLE Humanism in Ho Chi Minh’s Prison Diary in a Third-world Context Pham Tran Thuy Anh

The Center for Asia & Diaspora

This journal was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korean Government (MOE)


Call for Papers

| EDITORIAL BOARD | Editors Inseop Shin (Konkuk University, Korea) Zhenzhao Nie (Central China Normal University, China)


Associate Editors Donghyun Kim (Konkuk University, Korea) Seokmin Yoon (Konkuk University, Korea)

Editorial Board Members

We are delighted to announce that International Journal of Diaspora

Eduardo Zachary Albrecht (Mercy College, U.S.A) Michael D. Barr (Flinders University, Australia) James Bilsland (Newcastle University, U.K.) Lung-Chen Chung (Tzu-Chi University, Taiwan) Paul Graham (The University of Buckingham, U.K.) Daniel Hammond (The University of Edinburgh, U.K.) Tze-Ki Hon (The State University of New York, U.S.A.) German Kim (al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan) Guofu Liu (Beijing Institute of Technology, China) Hitoshi Oshima (Fukuoka University, Japan) Hsiao-huei Pan (Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan) Maria Socorro Q. Perez (Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines) Maria Luisa Torres Reyes (Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines) Susanne Schech (Flinders University, Australia) María Jesús De Prada Vicente (Fukuoka University, Japan) Choon-Sung Yim (Mokpo National University, Korea) Sangin Yoon (Seoul National University, Korea) Huang Chieh Yu (Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan) Poppy S. Winanti (Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia) Wojtek Wolfe (Rutgers University, U.S.A.)

& Cultural Criticism, a peer-reviewed journal specializing in diaspora,

Editorial Assistant

For more detailed information, please contact at [email protected].

multiculturalism, literary criticism, and multi-disciplinary study of culture, slated for publication in 2017 issue (Vol. 7, No. 2). The journal of International Journal of Diaspora & Cultural Criticism hopes to share intelligent original papers and book review articles for those issues and other relevant themes. The deadline for full paper submission is March 31, 2017. Authors interested in submitting a manuscript to International Journal of Diaspora & Cultural Criticism, please send his or her manuscript to [email protected].

Florence Kuek (University of Malaya, Malaysia) Hyunji Lee (Konkuk University, Korea)

Editorial Office: Copyright © Center for Asia & Diaspora, Konkuk University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form without the prior permission in writing from the copyright holder. Special requests should be addressed to the following address.

The Center for Asia & Diaspora Konkuk University 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 143-701, South Korea Tel: +82-2-450-3806, Fax: +82-2-456-3807 Webpage: http://diaspora.konkuk.ac.kr/ Email: [email protected] ISSN 2005-3037 (Print) ISSN 2465-8804 (Online)

International Journal of Diaspora & Cultural Criticism The Center for Asia & Diaspora Konkuk University 120 Neundong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 143-701, South Korea Tel.: +82-2-450-3826, Fax: +82-2-456-3807 Email: [email protected] http://diaspora.konkuk.ac.kr/

International Journal of Diaspora & Cultural Criticism Volume 7 Number 1 January 2017

CONTENTS SPECIAL ISSUE Philippine Diaspora 1–10 Introduction: Filipino, Filipinos, Everywhere Maria Luisa Torres Reyes 11–46 Re-encodation of GUMIL Hawaii Writers’ Association as a Diacritic

Site for Ilocano Hawaiian Representation Maria Socorro Q. Perez

47–87 Writing a Personal Archipelago in Luis H. Francia’s The Eye of Fish Francis C. Sollano 88–117

The Author as Reader: Gina Apostol and the Third World Metropolitan Intellectual Maria Gabriela P. Martin

118–151 Yearning in Carlos Bulosan: Toward a Queer Working Class

Consciousness

Jeffrey Arellano Cabusao 152–180 Intersections of Diasporic Asian-American Literatures: A Comparative

study between Zamora Linmark’s and Lois-Ann Yamanka’s Novel John Paolo Sarce 181–206 Child of Two Nations: Indonesian Perspectives on the Case of

Mary Jane Veloso Ramon Guillermo

ARTICLE 207–232 Humanism in Ho Chi Minh’s Prison Diary in a Third-world Context Pham Tran Thuy Anh

CALL FOR PAPERS

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International Journal of Diaspora & Cultural Criticism ┃Vol. 7 No.1 2017

Video Lectures Gopinath, Gayatri. 2015. “Unruly Visions: The Aesthetic Practices of Queer Diaspora.” Lecture Series at the University of British Columbia. Liu Institute for Global Issues Multipurpose Room, 6476 NW Marine Drive. https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=HWb9ijUUVoo. (Accessed April 17, 2016). Habib, Samar. 2015. “Narratives of Queer Muslim Diasporas in Contemporary Scholarship.” University of Leicester. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pai fAPSWcXw (Accessed April 17. 2016).

Submitted: December 19, 2016 Reviewed: December 25, 2016 Accepted: January 5, 2017

Child of Two Nations: Indonesian Perspectives on the Case of Mary Jane Veloso

Ramon Guillermo Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature University of the Philippines-Diliman Email: [email protected] Abstract: The case of Mary Jane Veloso who was sentenced to death in Indonesia for having allegedly attempted to smuggle in 2.6 kilos of heroin created a massive international outpouring of support. On the eve of her execution on 28 April 2015, the hashtags #SaveMaryJane and #BiarkanHidup, posted by increasingly frantic netizens, became the top trending topics on Twitter. This paper discusses materials such as Mary Jane Veloso’s letters to Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay, the hundreds of tweets generated with the hashtag #BiarkanHidup and the statements of various individuals and organizations in Indonesian media which refer to her case. This will be followed by some reflections on the possibly changing nature of human rights in the era of intensifying labor migration. Key words: Labour Migration, Social Media Campaign, Mary Jane Veloso, Human Rights

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International Journal of Diaspora & Cultural Criticism ┃Vol. 7 No.1 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.15519/dcc.2017.01.7.1.181

1. Introduction A well-publicized photograph of Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso shows her wearing traditional Indonesian attire while celebrating Kartini Day (21 April 2015) with her co-inmates in Lapas Wirogunan, Yogyakarta. It was exactly her fifth year in prison after having been arrested at the Adi Sutjipto Aiport at Yogyakarta for being in possession of 2.6 kilos of heroin concealed in the lining of her suitcase (GMA News Online 22/04/2016). Although there were strong indications that she was a victim of human trafficking by an international drug syndicate, she was nevertheless meted out the death penalty by the Indonesian court. She was also tried without the benefit of a Tagalog interpreter and could not therefore adequately understand the legal proceedings. Nuraini, the interpreter assigned to her who could only translate from Indonesian to English noted that her ability in the latter language was very limited, the same level as Indonesians in general. Nuraini related sadly, that on her last visit to look into Mary Jane in prison, the latter said, “Saya cantik, saya baik” (I am beautiful, I am good) (CNN Indonesia 28/04/2015). Behind Mary Jane in the picture is an image of Raden Adjeng Kartini (1879-1904) with the quote “Semangat Kartini Semangat Perempuan Untuk Menatap Masa Depan” (The spiritedness of Kartini, the spiritedness of women to look towards the future) (Cf. Figure 1). Kartini became a symbol and inspiration for women’s rights in Indonesia mainly because of the publication of a collection of her letters Door Duisternis tot Licht (Through Darkness towards the Light) which was first published in 1911. It is not known if Mary Jane Veloso, 31, was inspired by Kartini’s

Child of Two Nations: Indonesian Perspectives on the Case of Mary Jane Veloso┃Ramon Guillermo

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example but she also wrote several letters from her prison cell days before the original schedule of her execution. She wrote letters to the youth of the Philippines (kababayang kabataan) advising them to stay away from drugs, to women (kababayang babae) warning them of illegal recruiters and the dangers of working overseas, and even to those who had deceived and victimized her (mga taong nagpahamak nang aking buhay) (CNN Philippines 27/04/2015; Inquirer.net 25/04/2015). Her two letters addressed to Indonesian President Joko Widodo and to former Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay make for an interesting comparison. Her letter to Jokowi was handwritten in Bahasa Indonesia. She addressed him as “Bapak President Joko Widodo” (Cf. Figure 2 and Table 1) and begins with her urgent request for clemency. She wrote that she is convinced that Jokowi has a “compassionate heart” (hati nurani) and is “very wise” (sangat bijaksana) so that he will make a “humane” (manusiawi) decision. She mentioned her two small children need the love and care of a mother who loves them. As a father himself to his children (sebagai ayah anak Bapak), she knows that Jokowi would understand how “very painful” (sangat menyakitkan) it would feel if his children were also in the position (ada di posisi) of being denied their right (hak anak-anak) to be with their mother. Veloso then shifts the discourse about the father and his children from a personal level to a national one. She wrote: Bapak [1] yang Mulia, saya percaya sebagai Bapak [2] Negara Indonesia seharusnya Bapak [3] melindungi anak-anaknya terutama yang benar-benar tidak bersalah.

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(Honourable Sir, I believe that as the Father of the Indonesian Nation, you are obliged to protect your children, above all those who are truly innocent.) Veloso used the word “Bapak” three times in the sentence above. The first usage is close to the English word “Sir” so that “Bapak yang Mulia” could be translated as “Honourable Sir.” The second refers to Jokowi as the “Bapak Negara Indonesia” so that he becomes the “Father of the Indonesian Nation.” The third refers to him as a “father” who must protect his “children” (anak-anak), which refers to all the children of the Indonesian Nation, or its people. Veloso therefore claims her place as a child of the Indonesian nation. She ends her letter formulaically but sincerely by wishing “God’s Blessings” on President Joko Widodo and his whole family (Tuhan selalu Memberkati Bapak President Joko Widodo dan seluruh keluarga Bapak) which reiterates the theme of Jokowi being the father (ayah or Bapak) of a family (keluarga). All these usages of “Bapak” and the single usage of “Ayah” fuse into a single image the abstract and the experiential (or affective) dimensions of “Fatherhood” to which her claim of being a child (anak) or daughter of the nation is counterpoised. On the other hand, her letter to Vice President of the Philippines Binay, starts off quickly with her request to be saved from the death penalty and appeals to his compassion by mentioning her two young children who need the love and guidance of their mother (Cf. Table 2 and Table 3). The relevant sentence written for Binay mirrors the one in the letter to Jokowi. The same translational mirroring can be observed in the sentence about the relationship between the “Father of a Nation” and his


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metaphorical children (Cf. Table 4). If Vice President Binay was the “second Father of the Nation,” she refers in the same letter to former Philippine President Benigno Aquino Jr. as the “Father of our nation” (ama nang ating bansa). In this letter, she also claims to be a child or daughter of the “Fathers” of the Philippine nation who must be protected. There is a kind of slippage however, when she calls Binay, “Second father of our nation” (Pangalawang ama ng aming bansa) and Aquino, more correctly as, “father of our nation” (ama ng ating bansa). The distinction between “aming bansa” and “ating bansa” cannot be captured in English but the possessive pronoun “amin” (our), excludes from the sense of ownership the person being addressed or the person reading the letter. “Ating bansa,” on the other hand, includes the addressee in the sense of ownership or belongingness to the nation. It is likely that this use of “amin” does not intend to exclude Vice President Binay from the nation, which would be absurd, but probably indicates that the addressee of the letter is double, it is addressed both to Binay (her fellow Filipino) and to others who are “not Filipinos.” In fact, at the end of her letter, she takes the opportunity to thank everyone who tried to help save her which include her fellow Filipinos, the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta and the lawyers handling her case. She thanks everyone, even those who are non-Filipinos (kahit hindi sila Pilipina), who are always ready to help her. Veloso also refers to the Philippine Embassy using a mixed Indonesian formulation, “Embassy Filipina, Embassy di Jakarta” (Philippine Embassy in Jakarta). And a sign of code-shifting occurs when she calls her countrymen “Pilipina” or “Filipina” which is not gendered in Indonesian, as it is in Tagalog, but refers to “Filipinos” as a whole.

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In the letters to Binay and Jokowi, Veloso virtually claims to be the child of both the Philippines and Indonesia who is therefore entitled to the protection and safety which are “rights of the children” (hak anakanak) of these nations. One feels less the tone of opportunism in this dual claim rather than that of an absolute submission to powers, to the Bapak and the Ama, which have control over life and death. She has become a child of Indonesia not because of birth but rather because she has been reduced to an absolutely vulnerable state pleading for her life. At the limit situation on the incoherent threshold of death, Veloso’s concept of rights is reduced to the most basic one of the right of a child to be cared for and protected by her parents, in this case, the two fathers (Bapak and Ama).

2. Hashtags #SaveMaryJane and #BiarkanHidup On the night of 28 April 2015, the denizens of social media could not sleep. The hashtags #SaveMaryJane and #BiarkanHidup (Let Live) became the top trending topics on Twitter in Indonesia and the Philippines. In Indonesia #BiarkanHidup was at the top from 1:00 to 4:00 am on 29 April 2015 with a total of 546 tweets. In the Philippines, #SaveMaryJane trended with 852 tweets on 28 April 2015 and 72 tweets on 29 April 2015. On 11 September 2016, #SaveMaryJane would trend again because of President Jokowi’s statement that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had told him to “go ahead if indeed you want to execute her” (Presiden Duterte saat itu menyampaikan silahkan kalau memang mau dieksekusi) (Inquirer.net 30/05/2016) (Cf. Figure 3).


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Among those who expressed support for Mary Jane by tweeting using the hashtag #BiarkanHidup on the night of 29 April 2015 were Anis Hidayah (Executive Director of the NGO Migrant Care), Erwiana Sulistyaningsih (a former migrant worker who was listed by TIME magazine in 2014 as one of the “most influential people” in the world) and the well-known Indonesian writer Djenar Maesa Ayu. Some of the most used hashtags co-occurring with #BiarkanHidup were #MaryJane (86 times), #SaveMaryJaneVeloso (51 times) and #SaveMaryJane (22 times). The most frequent themes among the #BiarkanHidup tweets were “fair trial” (93 times), “tidak/tak lemah” (not weak) (53 times), “not weak” (in English) (76 times), “innocent” (in English) (17 times), “tidak/ tak/tdk/gk bersalah” (not guilty) (8 times) “korban/human trafficking” (victim of human trafficking) (17 times). The popular theme of “not being weak” reassures President Jokowi and Attorney General Prasetyo that it is not a sign of weakness if they let Mary Jane live. There are repeating versions of this appeal in English, Bahasa Indonesia and French (Marvin De Leon @mrmarvz: “HM Prasetyo, you are not weak if you let someone who didn’t get a fair trial, live. Cancel the execution of MaryJane. #BiarkanHidup”; anis hidayah @anishidayah: “Pak @jokowi, pak prasetyo, anda tidak lemah jika ijinkan seseorang manusia untuk hidup. Batalkan eksekusi Mary Jane #BiarkanHidup”; KP4 @AxelBrct: “Vous n'êtes pas faible si vous laissez vivre quelqu'un n'ayant pas de procès JUSTE. Annulez exécution de Mary Jane #BiarkanHidup”). Although the great majority of tweets with the hashtag #BiarkanHidup were unambiguously supportive of Mary Jane’s plea for clemency, there were also some tweets which expressed disbelief at the extent of support Indonesians were giving to Mary Jane when their own compatriots

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were suffering the same fate and were being ignored. Sang @ Nambelass wrote, “Mary Jane is more popular compared to Siti Zaenab #BiarkanHidup” (Mary Jane lebih populer dibandingkan Siti Zaenab #BiarkanHidup). Siti Zaenab was an Indonesian migrant worker (Tenaga Kerja Indonesia (TKI)) who had worked in Saudi Arabia and executed on 14 April 2015 just a few weeks before Mary Jane’s own scheduled execution (CNN Indonesia 15/04/2015). Irfan ade julio @Irfanjulio observed, “When Mary Jane is to be executed the hashtag #BiarkanHidup is tweeted. When some Indonesian migrant workers are executed they are just ignored *sigh*” (Mary Jane di eksukusi mati berkicaulah hasteg #BiarkanHidup . Ketika beberapa TKI di eksekusi mati pada cuek bebek aja tuh. *sigh*). The news of Veloso’s reprieve further intensified the feeling of injustice. linglung @lulunghaji was sarcastic, “What esoteric knowledge does Mary Jane have @jokowi_do2 so that her execution was postponed, when Indonesian migrant workers are beheaded no one cares #BiarkanHidup” (Mary jane punya ilmu apa @jokowi_do2 sampai di tunda eksekusinya sedangkan para TKI indonesia di pancung ga da yg bela #biarkanHidup). The fact of Mary Jane’s “foreignness” was further emphasized in another set of tweets. Ramadhoni Fitra @RamadhoniFitra complained that while, “Mary Jane and her friends (foreign citizens) are PROTECTED, when Indonesian migrant workers are sentenced to death there is NO REACTION. What the hell’s going on? #Biarkan Hidup” (Mary Jane dan kawankawan [warga asing] DIBELA, sementara para TKI dihukum mati TIDAK BEREAKSI. What the hell's going on? #BiarkanHidup). dheladamn @dellainkaRA reproached fellow Indonesians for being so active on twitter for Mary Jane, “Everyone


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shouts using the hashtag #BiarkanHidup for #MaryJane but one has never shouted for one’s own brother or sister although the case is the same” (semua orang pada teriak pake hastag #BiarkanHidup buat #MaryJane tapi ngga pernah teriak buat sodara sendiri padahal perkaranya sama). Finally, icalsuhaimi @icalsuhaimi ranted against the unfairness of Mary Jane’s apparently special treatment, “Why was her execution postponed????? Is #MaryJane a child of Indonesia? How is it that for native Indonesians there is no postponement too?? #Biarkanhidup” (kenapa di tunda eksekusinya???? #MaryJane anak Indonesia mana?? koq yg org Indonesia asli gk d tunda jga?? #BiarkanHidup). The latter set of tweets demonstrates a rejection of the claim expressed in Mary Jane’s letter to Joko Widodo that she too is a “daughter” (anak) of the “Bapak Negara Indonesia” deserving of protection. As a “warga asing” (foreigner), she is not a “sodara”/”saudara” (brother/sister) and is definitely not an “anak Indonesia” (child of Indonesia). However, @jungrood took issue with these complaints from Indonesians. She tweeted, “TO COMPLAIN why TKIs do not receive similar support when they are executed DOES NOT MEAN that Mary Jane has no right to be supported” (YANG MENGELUH kenpa TKI tidak mendapatkan dukungan serupa ktika di eksekusi mati.BUKAN BERARTI Mary Jane tidak berhak dukngan #BiarkanHidup). She further elaborated in another tweet that, “MARY JANE’S CASE must become the reminder for the people of Indonesia which must empathize with the fate of the TKIs” (KASUS MARY JANE seharusnya menjadi cambuk bagi rakyat Indonesia yang seharusnya berempati kepada nasib para TKI #BiarkanHidup). Finally, @jungrood wrote a tweet in English for Mary Jane herself, “I hope justice in your favor Mary Jane. This is not

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about nationalism but humanity. #BiarkanHidup.”

3. “I could have been Mary Jane Veloso” Mary Jane’s case has become a reference point among activists in Indonesia on the difficulties faced by Indonesian migrant workers (Tenaga Kerja Indonesia (TKI) or buruh migran), Indonesian domestic helpers (Tenaga Kerja Wanita (TKW)) and victims of human trafficking and the international drug trade. Remittances from 6 million Indonesian workers overseas attained a record US$8.5 billion in 2014 while 12 million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) remitted $28.40 billion in the same year (The Jakarta Post 20/04/2015). The rapid increase in the number of TKIs has also multiplied harrowing stories of exploitation, violence and maltreatment. Merry Utama (b. 1974), who was arrested at the Sukarno-Hatta airport last October 2001 with 1.1 kilos of heroin in the lining of a bag which was gifted to her was sentenced to death despite indications that she was a victim of human trafficking and deception by a drug syndicate. She was a former Indonesian migrant worker who had contributed to the Indonesian economy. Like Mary Jane, Merry also wrote a letter to Jokowi pleading for her life. Her execution was postponed by Joko Widodo at the last minute on 29 July 2016. Several news articles in Indonesia likened her situation to that of Mary Jane Veloso (Tempo.Co 28/07/2016). Her father Siswandi, himself made an explicit comparison when he said, “If Mary Jane can do it, why can’t my daughter do it too?” (Masak Mary Jane, bisa anak saya Merry Utami tak bisa?). Retno


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Dewi, coordinator of the Badan Persiapan Serikat Perempuan Indonesia (Preparatory Council of the Women’s Union, Seruni) in Bali, said that the fate of Merry Utama was no different from that of “Marry Jane” (sic) (nasib Merry Utami tidak berbeda dengan nasib Marry Jane) (Merdeka. com 30/07/2016). Rita Krisdianti’s (b. 1989) case is another well-known example in Indonesia (BBC Indonesia 30/05/2016). She worked seven months as a housemaid in Hong Kong before she was deceived and victimized by a drug syndicate on her way home. Rita was sentenced to death in Penang, Malaysia in 2013 for allegedly attempting to smuggle in 4 kilos of shabu. Anis Hidayah, observed that Rita’s case was “very similar to that which befell Mary Jane Veloso, a migrant worker from the Philippines” (sangat mirip dengan yang menimpa Mary Jane Veloso). Anis, was reported by newspapers as having cried during a last minute meeting with Jokowi on April 28, 2015 while pleading for Mary Jane’s life (CNN Indonesia 29/04/2015). She also became emotional when she visited the ramshackle shanty of the Velosos in Nueva Ecija after the postponement of Mary Jane’s execution. Erwiana Sulistyaningsih (b. 1991), suffered eight months of extremely brutal treatment while working as a domestic helper in Hong Kong. Her employer was later convicted and sentenced to six years imprisonment (South China Morning Post 15/07/2016). Her case called attention to the plight of women migrant workers and created an international outcry for justice. Immediately after hearing of the postponement of Mary Jane’s execution, Erwiana tweeted, “There is still hope friend/comrade” (Masih ada harapan kawan). She wrote a piece entitled “I could have been Mary Jane Veloso” (The Jakarta Post 20/05/2015):

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Mary Jane is just like me. She is just like the 3 million Indonesian women who have migrated for work. We migrate because we have to. We don’t have power and money and we are put into the most vulnerable positions, physically, legally and economically. There are 278 Indonesians on death row around the world. Many of them are just like Mary Jane and me. Desperate people in desperate circumstances. Our President said he is here to govern for us, for the least powerful. He said he no longer wants to force Indonesian women to migrate into vulnerability. But if he really wants to support us he should give Mary Jane a fair trial because she is just like us. If he eventually executes her he will be harming us all. We will no longer be able to call for justice for Indonesian migrant workers. Today I want to ask our President ― will you kill a woman just like me? Or will you prove to us that you are listening to the people and give her a fair trial. Advocates of migrant workers’ rights held demonstrations in Indonesia in support of Mary Jane Veloso (Cf. Figure 4). A joint statement signed by organizations like Jaringan Buruh Migran Indonesia (JBMI), Serikat Buruh Migran Indonesia (SBMI), Migrant Care, and many others entitled “Joint Statement: Protect Migrant Workers, Save Mary Jane and 278 Migrant Workers from the Death Penalty! and Enforce Human Rights” (Pernyataan Sikap Bersama: Lindungi Buruh Migran, Selamatkan Mary Jane da 278 Buruh Migran dari Hukuman Mati! Dan Tegakkan Hak Asasi Manusia) called for a Peace Rally to be held on 27 April 2015 (Time.com 29/04/2015). Like Erwiana, they stressed the implications of


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the execution of Mary Jane on the fate of Indonesian migrant workers: What Mary Jane experienced is actually no different (tidak berbeda) from the stories of dozens of migrant workers who have been sentenced to death overseas and 278 other individuals who at this moment are threatened by the death penalty··· How can we fight for Indonesian migrant workers and other citizens who are threatened by the death penalty if President Jokowi is determined to let Mary Jane, who is clearly a victim, face death? To sentence Mary Jane to death will definitely hamper the efforts to save migrant workers threatened by the death penalty. (Peristiwa yang dialami oleh Mary Jane sesungguhnya tidak berbeda dengan kisah-kisah puluhan buruh migran yang telah mendapatkan hukuman mati di luar negeri dan 278 orang lainnya yang saat ini masih terancam hukuman mati··· Bagaimana kita akan mampu memperjuangkan buruh migran dan warga negara Indonesia lainnya yang terancam hukuman mati jika Presiden Jokowi tidak segan membiarkan Mary Jane Veloso yang nyata-nyata korban untuk dihukum mati? Menghukum mati Mary Jane tentu akan menghambat upaya penyelamatan buruh migran yag terancam hukuman mati.) The International Migrant’s Alliance (IMA) headed by Eni Lestari, a former Indonesian migrant worker in Hong Kong, released a statement commemorating International Women’s Day 2016 entitled “Migrant Women Worker Rise Up and Fight for Our Rights, Dignity and Future” (Perempuan Migran Bangkit Perjuangkan Hak Kita, Kehormatan Kita,

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Masa Depan Kita) in which Veloso figures prominently: “Women hold up half the sky and women have power.” Women and men of the world have already seen the power, the power to build movements and develop international solidarity. We have seen the collective effort of the peoples of Indonesia, Philippines and many other countries which actively took part in each international campaign to save Mary Jane Veloso. She is a migrant worker from the Philippines who was imprisoned and sentenced to death in Indonesia for having banned drugs in her possession. Mary Jane was spared from execution, although her freedom and innocence must still be fought for. This case is a demonstration of collective strength that the international movement of migrant workers continues to advance, but sadly, it also shows the reality that women migrant workers continue to be victimized, tortured and abused. Many migrant domestic workers become the victims of exploitation such as inhuman wages and maltreatment. Many women become the victims of human trafficking and the drug trade··· Neoliberal Globalization has caused much suffering for many women, above all migrant women workers. Neoliberal Globalization has forced many women to migrate through the neoliberal policies and women migrants have experienced a lot of discrimination and inequality, not only in terms of gender but also in terms of class, race and age. Neoliberal Globalization considers profits more important than human rights (hak-hak manusia).


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(“Perempuan menyangga setengah langit dan perempuan memiliki kekuatan”. Perempuan dan laki-laki di seluruh dunia telah melihat kekuatan, kekuatan untuk membangun gerakan dan membangun solidaritas internasional. Kita telah melihat upaya bersama dari masyarakat Indonesia, Filipina dan banyak di negara lain yang telah aktif terlibat secara langsung dalam setiap kampanye internasional untuk menyelamatkan nyawa Mary Jane Veloso. Dia adalah seorang pekerja migran dari Filipina yang dipenjara dan difonis hukuman mati di Indonesia karena kasus kepemilikan obat-obatan terlarang. Mary Jane akhirnya terhindar dari eksekusi hukuman mati, meskipun kebebasannya secara terhormat masih harus terus diperjuangkan. Hal itu menunjukkan kekuatan kolektif pertanda bahwa gerakan migran internasional terus maju, namun sayangnya, hal itu juga menunjukkan bahwa realita perempuan migran terus menjadi korban, disiksa dan dilecehkan. Banyak pekerja rumah tangga migran menjadi mangsa eksploitasi tenaga kerja seperti upah yang tidak manusiawi dan mendapatkan perlakuan buruk. Banyak perempuan menjadi korban perdagangan manusia dan perdagangan narkoba··· Globalisasi Neoliberal juga telah menyebabkan begitu banyak kesengsaraan bagi banyak perempuan, terutama perempuan migran. Globalisasi Neoliberal telah memaksa banyak perempuan untuk bermigrasi melalui skema kebijakan neoliberal dan perempuan migran sudah mengalami banyak diskriminasi dan ketidaksetaraan, tidak hanya dalam hal gender tetapi juga kelas, ras, dan usia. Globalisasi Neoliberal menganggap

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keuntungan pendapatan itu lebih penting dari pada hak-hak manusia.)

4. Conclusion The ultimate question which arises in all these textual materials revolves around the conditions under which Mary Jane Veloso can still be considered to have rights as a person already (unjustly) condemned to death. (One could resort here to a discussion which is a little bit indebted to Giorgio Agamben’s reflections (2008)). It seems that Veloso’s own efforts to conceptualize this situation rests upon two conditions: (1) the rights of her children (hak anak-anak) who will be deprived of their right to be with their mother if she is executed.; (2) her own rights to protection as simultaneously existing in the mutually exclusionary states (marked out linguistically) of being an “anak bangsa Indonesia” (child of the Indonesian nation) and an “anak ng bansang Pilpinas” (child of the Philippine nation). Since the state of being “anak Indonesia” implies being native-born to Indonesia, @icalsuhaimi was understandably indignant that Veloso could be considered as having the rights to protection of an “anak Indonesia” or an “orang Indonesia asli” (native Indonesian). @dellainkaRA also took issue with the overflowing empathy which Indonesians have shown for a foreigner such as Veloso by accusing them of having forgotten their own true “sodara”/”saudara” (brother or sister). Veloso’s discourse is therefore both a literal affirmation and a metaphorical questioning of the foundation of “human rights” (hak-hak manusia) which can today only be disastrously conceived of as the rights of native born (or “reborn”) “citizens” within


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the boundaries of nation-states. On the other hand, the NGO workers and activists who have participated in the international campaign to save Mary Jane Veloso, work on a discourse on rights which does not require the fact of “birth” or “nativity” but only of recognizing oneself (e.g., Tenaga Kerja Indonesia) in the other (e.g., Overseas Filipino Worker) under the intensifying conditions of discrimination, improverishment, exploitation and exclusion generated by neoliberal globalization. This argumentation follows certain patterns such as: (1) the fate of X is no different from the fate of Y (nasib X tidak berbedah dengan nasib Y); (2) the case of X is very similar to the case of Y (kasus X sangat mirip dengan kasus Y); (3) the story of X is not different from the story of Y (kisah X tidak berbeda dengan kisah Y). Erwiana Sulistyaningsih asserted therefore that, “I could have been Mary Jane Veloso” and concludes that, “If [President Jokowi] eventually executes her he will be harming us all.” It is already clear that the fate of the Mary Jane’s of the world does not depend on the heart and wisdom of the “Bapak-bapak” of nations but on the determination of women migrant workers (perempuan migran) to fight for their rights (perjuangkan hak kita) and to build and strengthen international solidarity (membangun solidaritas international) among their ranks. Perhaps it is not only new forms of “internationalist solidarity” but also a new “rights of humanity” which will arise from the intensifying struggles of migrant workers in all parts of the globe. References Agamben, Giorgio. 2008. “Beyond Human Rights.” Social Engineering, 15: 90-95. Asosiasi Buruh Migran Indonesia di Hong Kong. 2016. “Perempuan Migran

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Bangkit Perjuangkan Hak Kita, Kehormatan Kita, Masa Depan Kita.” May 8. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_f bid=1089420471115644& id=152391764818524. (Accessed January 06, 2017). BBC Indonesia. 2016. “WNI Dijatuhi Hukuman Mati Di Pengadilan Malaysia.” May 30. http://www.bbc.com/indonesia/berita_indonesia/2016/05/160529_indonesia_ hukuman_mati_wni_malaysia. (Accessed January 06, 2017). CNN Indonesia. 2015a. “Cerita soal Mary Jane ke Jokowi, Anis Migrant Ca re Me n a ng i s.” Apr il 29. ht t p:// w w w.c n nin d one sia .c o m /n a sion al/20150429102612-12-49969/cerita-soal-mary-jane-ke-jokowi-anis-migrantcare-menangis. (Accessed January 06, 2017). CNN Indonesia. 2015b. “Kronologi Siti Zaenab Hingga Dihukum Mati Di Arab Saudi.” April 15. http://cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20150415074100-20-46707/ kronologi-siti-zaenab-hingga-dihukum-mati-di-arab-saudi. (Accessed January 06, 2017). CN N Indonesia. 2015c. “Ucapan Mar y Jane ke Penerjemahnya: Saya Cantik , Saya Baik .” April 28. http://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasion al/20150428105917-12-49669/ucapan-mary-jane-ke-penerjemahnya-saya-cantiksaya-baik. (Accessed January 06, 2017). CNN Philippines. 2015. “Letters from Death Row: Mary Jane Veloso Writes.” April 27. www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2015/04/27/velosos-four-letters.html. (Accessed January 06, 2017). GMA News Online. 2016. “Mary Jane Veloso at Kartini Day.” April 22. www. gmanetwork.com/news/photo/118562/pinoyabroad/mary-jane-veloso-at-kartiniday. (Accessed January 06, 2017). Inquirer.net. 2015. “What Did Mary Jane Veloso Write on Her Appeal for Pardon?.” April 25. http://globalnation.inquirer.net/121397/what-did-mary-jane-velosowrite-on-her-appeal-for-pardon. (Accessed January 06, 2017). Inquirer.net. 2016. “Widodo sticks to Veloso account: Duterte’s message is clear.” September 13. http://globalnation.inquirer.net/144798/widodo-sticks-to-velosoaccount-dutertes-message-is-clear. (Accessed January 06, 2017). Jaringan Buruh Migrant Indonesia (JBMI) et al. 2015. “Pernyataan Sikap Bersama:


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Lindungi Buruh Migran, Selamatkan Mary Jane da 278 Buruh Migran dari Hukuman Mati! Dan Tegakkan Hak Asasi Manusia.” April 27. https://www. facebook.com/notes/buruh-migran/savemaryjane/844342238936711. (Accessed January 06, 2017). Merdeka.com. 2016. “Aktivis di Bali desak Jokowi berikan grasi kepada Merry Utami.” July 30. https://www.merdeka.com/peristiwa/aktivis-di-bali-desakjokowi-berikan-grasi-kepada-merry-utami.html. (Accessed January 06, 2017). South China Morning Post. 2016. “Keep appealing and you could be in jail longer, Hong Kong judge tells Erwiana’s convicted ex-boss.” July 15. http://www.scmp. com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1990124/keep-appealing-and-you-couldbe-jail-longer-hong-kong-judge (Accessed January 06, 2017). Tempo.Co. 2016. “Kisah Merry Utami, Dari TKI, Narkoba Sampai Dihukum Mati.” July 28. https://m.tempo.co/read/news/2016/07/28/063791435/kisah-merry-utamidari-tki-narkoba-sampai-dihukum-mati. (Accessed January 06, 2017). The Jakarta Post. 2015a. “I Could Have Been Mary Jane Veloso.” May 20. http:// www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/05/20/i-could-have-been-mary-jane-veloso. html. (Accessed January 06, 2017). The Jakarta Post. 2015b. “RI's Migrant Workers Remit Record $8.55 Billion in 2014: WB.” April. 20. www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/04/20/ri-s-migrant-workersremit-record-855-billion-2014-wb.html. (Accessed January 06, 2017). Time.com. 2015. “How Indonesia's Migrant Workers Helped Save the Life of Mary Jane Veloso.” April 29. http://time.com/3839692/mary-jane-veloso-indonesiamigrant-workers-philippines-jokowi. (Accessed January 06, 2017).

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Figure 1: Mary Jane Veloso on Kartini Day (22 Apr. 2016)

Figure 2: Mary Jane Veloso’s Letter to Indonesian President Joko Widodo


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Table 1: Transcription and Translation of Mary Jane Veloso’s Letter to Indonesian President Joko Widodo Kepada Bapak President Joko Widodo

To Honorable President Joko Widodo:

Saya sungguh-sungguh memohon kepada yang Mulia, untuk mengampuni saya dari hukuman Mati, saya percaya dan yakin bahwa Bapak punya hati nurani dan sangat bijaksana untuk mengambil keputusan yang manusiawi.

I sincerely appeal to you, Honorable Sir, to grant me a pardon from the death penalty. I believe and am certain that you have a compassionate heart and are very wise to make a humane decision.

Saya sebagai ibu yang punya dua anak yang masih kecil dan sangat membutuhkan kasih sayang seorang ibu yang mereka cintai. Bapak yang mulia saya percaya bahwa Bapak sebagai ayah untuk anak Bapak, bisa merasakan apa yang anak Bapak rasakan kalau anak Bapak yang ada di posisi anakanak saya, pasti sangat menyakitkan karena mengambil hak anak-anak saya untuk bersama dengan ibu mereka dengan tidak mengabulkan permohonan Grasi saya. Bapak yang Mulia, saya percaya sebagai Bapak Negara Indonesia seharusnya Bapak melindungi anak-anaknya terutama yang benar-benar tidak bersalah. Saya sungguh-sunguh mohon selamatkan saya dari hukuman mati dan berikan saya kesempatan untuk bersama dan membesarkan anak-anak saya. Tuhan selalu Memberkati Bapak President Joko Widodo dan seluruh keluarga Bapak.

As a mother, I have two children who are still small and need the love of a mother very much whom they love in return. Honorable Sir, I believe that as the father of your child, you can feel what it would be like if your child were in the position of my own children, it is surely very painful because it would take away the right of my children to be with their mother, if my plea for pardon is not granted. Honorable Sir, I believe that as the Father of the Indonesian Nation you should protect your children, above all those who are genuinely innocent. I sincerely pray to to be saved from the death penalty and to be given the opportunity to bring up my children. May God always bless Honorable President Joko Widodo and his whole family. Wirogunan Correctional Facility Jogjakarta 16 April 2015

Lapas MAS R.S. Wirogunan Mary Jane F. Veloso Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso

SIGNED Mary Jane Festa Veloso

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Table 2: Transcription and Translation of Mary Jane Veloso’s Letter to Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay Para sa mahal kung Pangalawang Pangulo nang Pilipinas Ako po si Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso, lubus po akong humihingi nang tulong sa inyo, iligtas po niyo ang aking buhay sa hatol na kamatayan, mayroon po akong dalawang anak na maliliit pa at nangangailangan nang inang mag-aaruga, magpapatnubay sa kanila at nangangailangan nang pagmamahal nang isang ina. Vice President Binay, kayo lang po ang makakatulong sa akin, hawak nyo po at nang Pangulong Pilipinas Ninoy Aquino ang kaligtasan nang aking buhay, Vice President Binay wala po akong kasalanan, isa lang po akong biktima, hinding-hindi ko po magagawang magtrabaho nang masama lalong-lalu na ang magdala o magbenta nang droga sa ibang bansa na hindi ko kilala at unang beses ko palang napuntahan, kahit na po mahirap lang ang buhay namin at gusto kong mabago ang aming buhay, hinding-hindi ko po magagawa ang ibinibintang nila sa akin, mas gugustuhin ko pa pong magtrabaho bilang katulong kahit na mahirap at pagod pero malinis naman na paraan, pinalaki din po ako nang aking mga magulang na may takot sa Panginoong Diyos, sumusumpa po ako sa harap ng Panginoong Diyos na wala po akong kasalanan at isa lang po akong biktima nang mga taong gumagawa ng kasamaan, marami man pong hindi naniniwala na wala akong kasalanan alam ko po na alam nang Panginoong Diyos na nagsasabi ako nang pawang katotohanan.

Vi ce P r esi d e n t Bi n a y k a y o po a n g pangalawang ama nang aming bansa at bilang Pangalawang ama nang aming bansa, iligtas po niyo ang inyong mga anak sa kapahamakan lalong-lalu na po ang walang kasalanan at naging biktima lang dahil sa kagustuhang magkaroon nang trabaho sa ibang bansa para mabigyan nang magandang kinabukasan ang aming pamilya at mapagtapos nang pag-aaral ang aming mga anak. Vice President Binay, naniniwala po ako na hindi nyo po ako pababayaan, maraming salamat po sa lahat nang tulong na ipinagkaloob po ninyo sa akin at nagpapasalamat din po ako kay Pangulong Pilipinas Ninoy Aquino bilang ama nang ating Bansa alam ko po na hindi din po tumitigil ang ating Pangulo sa pagtulong at paghanap nang paraan para matulungan po ako at nang hindi matuloy ang hatol na kamatayan sa akin, Hanggang dito na lang po ang sulat ko, umaasa po ako na makakamit ko po ang katarungan sa nangyari sa akin, nagpapasalamat din po ako sa mga kababayan natin na handang tumulong, ganoon din po sa ating Embassy Filipina, Embassy Di Jakarta, DFA, na umaasikaso sa kaso ko, ganon din sa mga abogado na may hawak nang kaso ko at sa lahat nang taong tumutulong na mailigtas ako, kahit na hindi sila Pilipina pero handa silang tumulong at palaging nagdadasal para sa kaligtasan ko. GOD BLESS US. Lubos na gumagalang(sgd.) Mary Jane F. Veloso


Dear Vice President of the Philippines I am Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso and I am pleading for your help, please save me from the death penalty, I have two small children who need a mother who will take care of them and guide them and need the love of a mother. Vice President Binay, only you can help me, you and Philippine President Ninoy Aquino hold my life in your hands, Vice President Binay, I am innocent, I am just a victim, I could never do criminal work especially to bring or sell drugs in another country which I do not know and have only seen for the first time, even if our life is difficult and I want to improve our lives, I could never do what they have charged me with, I would prefer to work as a domestic helper even if it is difficult and exhausting but legal and above board, I was brought up by my parents to be God fearing, I swear before God that I am innocent and I am just a victim of criminals, even if many people do not believe that I am innocent I know that God knows that I am saying the truth,

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Dear Vice President Binay, you are the second father of the our country and as the Second father of our country, save your children from harm especially those who are innocent and have been victimized because of the desire to get a job abroad so that they can ensure a good future for our families and so that our children can finish schooling. Dear Vice President Binay, I believe that you will not leave me to fend for myself, thank you very much for all the help you have given me and I also thank the President of the Philippines Ninoy Aquino as the father of our Nation I know that our President did not stop helping and looking for ways to help me and the death penalty will not be implemented. I end this letter here, I hope that I will receive justice for what happened to me, I would like to thank our countrymen who are prepared to help, also the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta, DFA, who is looking after my case, also the lawyers who are working on my case and all the people helping out to save me, even if they are not Filipinos but they are prepared to help and are always praying for my safety. GOD BLESS US Respectfully, - (sgd.) Mary Jane F. Veloso

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Table 3: Mirroring of Mary Jane Veloso’s Letter to Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay on her two children Saya sebagai dua anak ibu yang punya

yang masih kecil

dan sangat mbutuhkan

kasih sayang seorang ibu

yang mereka cintai

As a mother two children who are still and need very the affection of w h o m t h e y who has small much a mother love mayroon po akong

dalawang anak

na maliliit pa

at ngangailangan gan

I have

two children who are still and need small

nang inang mag-aaruga, magpapatnubay sa kanila

at ngangailan gan nang pagmamahal nang isang ina

the care and guidance of a mother

of a mother who loves them

Table 4: Mirroring of Mary Jane Veloso’s Letter to Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay on the Fathers of the Philippine and Indonesian Nations Bapak yang saya Mulia percaya

sebagai Bapak Negara Indonesia

seharusnya Bapak melindungi

anakanaknya

terutama yang benar-benar tidak bersalah

Honourable I believe Sir

as the Father of the Indonesian Nation

You are obliged to protect

your children

above all those who are truly innocent

Vice President Binay···

bilang iligtas po pngalawang ninyo ama nang aming bansa

ang inyong mga anak

sa lalong-lalu khamakan n a p o a n g walang kasalanan

Vice President Binay

as the Second Father of our Nation

your children

from danger

please save

above all those who are innocent


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Figure 3: Twitter Posts with hashtags #BiarkanHidup and #SaveMary Jane from 28 Apr. 2015 to 7 Oct. 2016

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Figure 4: “Be Compassionate” (Berbesar Hatilah), Poster and Call to Action of Indonesian Migrant Organizations and NGOs on 27 Apr. 2015

Submitted: November 17, 2016 Reviewed: January 1, 2017 Accepted: January 21, 2017

ARTICLE

Humanism in Ho Chi Minh’s Prison Diary in a Third-world Context

Pham Tran Thuy Anh Hue University- College of Foreign Languages, Hue City, Vietnam Email: [email protected] Abstract: This paper explores the elements constituting humanism in HCM’s PD as explained in two different sections which explore how humanism is embodied in five selected poems of PD and how it underpins the poems’ aesthetics. However, it must be noted that the politics of his poems also significantly contribute to the “conditions of possibility” of HCM’s poetics. Therefore, the second section explores how the aesthetics of PD may be linked to its politics. And the conclusion of the chapter discusses the factors constituting humanism in HCM’s PD. Key words: Aesthetics, Humanism, Postcolonialism, Nationalism, Tang poetry