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Nurish Amanah (photo: Raquel Evita Saraswati)

Nurish Amanah (photo: Raquel Saraswati)

Raquel: What does Kartini’s legacy mean for you as a young Indonesian woman?

Nurish: Raden Ayu Kartini is the most popular symbol of the emancipation of Indonesian women and a national heroine.

Despite her enormous popularity as a national heroine for women, there are historians in some circles who question the legitimacy of her high ranking. They feel that Indonesia doesn’t give as much recognition to other great women like Dewi Sartika, Sultanah Seri Ratu Tajul, and others. Their complaint is specifically about race and ethnicity. They believe that Kartini was declared a heroine for all women because she was Javanese.

On Kartini Day, celebrated annually on the 21st of April, the country celebrates the life and legacy of Raden Ayu Kartini. For me, every woman of valor deserves to be called “Kartini.”

Kartini is a symbol of women’s emancipation, achievement and equality. Today’s Kartinis – Islam’s new Kartinis – can be Javanese, Arabian, Chinese, American, African and more.
 
Raquel: You work on so many important issues – but I know that education is one of your greatest passions. Can you tell me about how and why you decided to work on alternative education?

Nurish: I have taught from the kindergarten to university level. I have learned a lot about educational development, particularly in the field of alternative education. Indonesia is still considered part of the third world, and we are facing significant problems in education. Kompas, a major Indonesian daily newspaper, reported in March of 2010 that over 5 million school-age children are currently not enrolled in school. Most of these children are female.

Given the high numbers of students either not able to attend school at all, or to achieve higher levels of education, it is important to me to do something constructive for them. I am seeking to open an alternative school. It is a slow process, especially given my commitment to doing so without dependence on traditional fundraising. I am committed to funding much of the project myself. I work very hard, even selling textiles in my village, to make honest, halal money.

Nurish and Raquel

Nurish: My friends and I founded an organization called ABINITIO in 2008. We began work on an online magazine with the goal of developing a successful small business, and hiring students who need employment so that they can support themselves while getting an education.

Once our business is well-established, we will open a school for alternative education in a village or rural area, where education is most difficult to obtain.

My ideas for our alternative schooling program differ greatly from the education currently available in government and traditional schools. I firmly disagree with the educational system in public schools – the curriculum is unreasonably stressful and student life is very difficult. Some teachers hit their students as a form of punishment. I believe that is counter to the spirit of education.

I believe in learning outside of the classroom. By remaining isolated in the classroom, teachers can’t be fully aware of students’ talents and potential. We will create outdoor learning environments as well as media laboratories for students. Through these alternative learning environments and a holistic approach to education – free of violence and needless pressure, students will develop responsible relationships with society and the environment. It is also my hope that with a more student-centered approach like this, the school will graduate individuals who are more compassionate and aware.

Raquel: One of our first conversations was about women and the environment. Can you share with readers some of the connections you’ve found between environmental damage in Indonesia and the welfare of women?

Nurish: In our conversation, I was referring to the case of the Sidoarjo mud flow.

(*Raquel’s note: Lapindo, an oil and gas company, was drilling near the Sidoarjo mud volcano. The volcano erupted, releasing enough mud to fill a dozen Olympic-sized swimming pools. Despite controversy, the international community has come to an overwhelming consensus that the volcano’s eruption is connected to Lapindo’s drilling activities. The mud flow, currently contained by levees, still continues to intermittently disrupt local highways and villages. There are concerns that the volcano may erupt again in the future.)

Nurish: Upon learning of this incident, I wrote a paper titled “The Death of Ethics,” in which I discussed environmental ethics. The Sidoarjo incident was not a natural disaster, but an environmental one caused by human beings. It destroyed thousands of hectares of rice fields, homes, industries, mosques and more. Women and children suffered the most from the devastation, and we are seeing that this is often the case.
 
Raquel: What are some other connections you see between women, the environment, and industrialization?

Nurish: I think the issues of industrialization and consumption are also women’s issues. Women’s lives are often controlled by the cultural, social, religious and political demands on them. For example, women are expected to be physically beautiful. To meet these demands and to be accepted in the work force and social sphere, women need to spend a lot on products and services to enhance their physical appearance. Though it is the women consuming these products, they are actually being controlled by the forces insisting that they be “consumed” for their bodies and looks. In short and to be frank, women’s bodies are regularly assaulted by the cosmetics, fashion and other industries.
 
Raquel: I have enormous respect for you as a woman of faith. How does Islam inspire you to create positive change?
 
Nurish: Islam teaches me to learn with other people and other groups. For me, Islam represents unity, and not just among Muslims. We have to be respectful, tolerant, and peaceful with others. Lakum dinukum waliyadin means “To you be your way, and to me mine” (Qur’an 109:06). This verse promotes tolerance toward other religions and other groups.  All human beings are family, and this is my understanding of the essence of Islamic teaching.

Raquel: Do you have a Muslim female heroine? Who is she, and why?

Nurish: Surely, I do. The first one I must mention is my mother. It is because of her that I am here and that I have survived – and her spirit is always with me. Her patience drives me to be a better woman.

Secondly, I dearly admire Nawal El Saadawi and her books inspire me. I don’t know her personally, but I like her ideas. She is very amazing.  Her book, Woman at Point Zero, really inspires me.

Nurish and Raquel

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Islam’s new Kartinis: Introduction

                                  March, 2010: Valerie Khan Yusufzai

                                  April, 2010: Nujood Ali

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Raquel Evita Saraswati is an American Muslim activist and writer whose main interests are religion and human rights, conflict resolution, women’s issues and democracy.

The struggle for civil rights, freedom and independence is not unique to the Palestinian people. Many nations have travelled the same road. Palestinians today have the advantage of looking back and learning from those who succeeded in their struggles.

The American civil rights movement in particular has important lessons for those working to forge peace between Israelis and Palestinians. It succeeded in using non-violent strategies to bring about the end of legally sanctioned segregation in the United States. What principles can the Palestinians learn from the movement?

The civil rights movement in the United States based its struggle on messages that were hard to disagree with, even for those who did not identify with its aims and objectives. Prominent civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for instance, reminded the American people of one of the most basic principles in their constitution: “all men are created equal”. He highlighted the law of humanity and lifted it above man-made laws. He called any law or practice that denigrates human dignity or limits freedom unnatural and immoral, and said these laws shouldn’t be obeyed because they inspire a false sense of superiority in one race against another. He touched people’s hearts by reasoning with them and speaking their own language.

Dr. King appealed to the deepest consciousness of the American people. He invoked the highest standard of American values: the constitution and the writings of the founding fathers. Thus, his appeals reached millions of American people and resonated within their hearts and minds.

In the same way, Palestinians can reach the hearts and minds of the Jewish citizens of Israel by appealing to their hopes and fears, ideals and principles. But as Israel has no constitution, this means calling on the Hebrew Scriptures and Jewish traditions.

By presenting Jewish morals, standards and beliefs in a new light, Palestinians can make their arguments more salient to Israelis. For example, the words of the prophet Isaiah are particularly resonant, especially as they are read during the Yom Kippur service: “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?”

Moses’ cry to Pharaoh is also powerful: “Let my people go”. Moses was asking for freedom, and his words are sharper than any sword. It is a phrase that can reach the hearts of the Jewish community far more effectively than any angry slogan or threat.

Palestinians should also appeal to Israel’s democratic ideals. As Israel maintains a belief in liberty and self-determination, so should Palestinians insist that Israel live up to its own ideals. This means highlighting that true democracy cannot allow for the occupation and oppression of others.

In recent years, many Palestinians have chosen non-violence as a form of resistance, from weekly demonstrations against the Israeli separation barrier to economic and cultural boycotts. However the majority of activities have been unilateral or have failed to reach the mainstream Israeli public.

In America, the civil rights movement geared its campaign toward the large silent majority of white Christians. It is time for Palestinians and Jews who support freedom to do something similar, and call on Israel to uphold the principles it claims to espouse. This appeal should not just be made with words, but through non-violent actions aimed at evoking symbols that will reach every Israeli and Jew, from the soldiers at the checkpoints and the settlers in the West Bank to the businesspeople in Tel Aviv.

The Palestinian struggle shares many similarities with Jewish history. From its fight for existence to the Diaspora experience, Jews and Palestinians have both desired a secure and free homeland.

These struggles have been burdened by disappointment. Here we can also learn from the American Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King wrote in his letter from Birmingham Jail about his own disappointment, but he did not let his frustration distract him from his ultimate goal. Instead, he kept building bridges between people who were divided by walls of fear, racism and even hatred. He was sustained by a belief that he was not fighting a war that would be won or lost by conventional weapons, but a struggle for the triumph of humanity over extremism.

Palestinians, like King, should fight not only for freedom, but also for humanity to defeat separation and prejudice.

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Aziz Abu Sarah is the Director of Middle East Projects at Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University at George Mason University. His blog can be found at http://azizabusarah.wordpress.com. Email: azizabusarah@gmail.com. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews).