My Papa Got a Stroke

Last Saturday I began my day by preparing my regular Saturday morning writing class. It was a lovely day, meeting new students and having a new atmosphere. I also introduced my new co-instructors, Anugerah Perkasa, and Fahri Salam. They are two young writers. I left the class after lunch, leaving Perkasa to have his afternoon session.

It changed drastically in the afternoon when my step mother, Winarti, made a phone call, asking me to call back. "Papa wants to talk to you," Bu Win said.

There were some nervousness in her voice. I sensed something wrong. She usually asked for her grandson, Norman, and my wife, Sapariah, to chit chat. I immediately called back to their house in Jember. Papa answered the phone directly, "Liang, Papa kenek stroke."

My father got a stroke!

He described that it happened Saturday morning when he suddenly felt a serious headache. He was immediately brought to a doctor. And it was confirmed that he got a stroke in his right brain. He cannot move his left arm, his left foot, having difficulty to speak properly.

It shocked me. I asked for more detail. Papa said he immediately also got an acupuncture treatment. It helped a lot. He refused to be treated in the hospital, insisting that it is better to be treated at home by his wife and his daughters. Three of his daughters are living in Jember.

I called my other sisters. I also did some research about stroke. But I do something unusual, I took this case to Facebook!

I wanted to chronicle this case through my Facebook --a new technology, a virtual social networking-- from which I might need it for future needs. I basically responded to all responses.

Saturday, February 21: Andreas is worried after knowing that his father got a stroke this morning in Jember. 5:53pm

Danial Indrakusuma at 5:55pm February 21
Semoga selamat. Dan mencoba pengobatan dengan metode combine food.

Sica Harum at 5:56pm February 21
mudah2an membaik, mas.

Chrestella Tan at 5:56pm February 21 via Facebook Mobile
sorry 2 hear dat..better go to Jember A.S.A.P..God bless u n ur famz,,esp.ur father..

Ayu Purwaningsih at 5:59pm February 21
aku ikut sedih, cari pengobatan terbaik mas (temanku bawa ayahnya ke mount elizabeth), mahal tapi dokternya baik, diobati sesuai keperluan agar lekas pulang, semoga cepat sembuh. Buang segera kecemasan agar lebih kuat dan lawan dengan pengobatan segera.

Sari Venus at 6:00pm February 21 via Facebook Mobile
Ayah mas pasti kuat. Dia akan bs mlewatinya dan membaik.

Andreas Harsono at 6:05pm February 21
Dan, Sica, Stella, Ayu dan Sari, terima kasih untuk semua perhatiannya. Tadi saya sempat bicara sebentar dengan Papa. Tadi malam, dia karaokean hingga larut dengan kawan-kawan, sesama orang tua. Tadi pagi merasa pusing. Ibu saya mendampingi terus, tadi periksa dokter dan disuntik. Juga sudah tusuk jarum. Besok akan cek lagi.

Laksita Wijayanti at 6:12pm February 21 via Facebook Mobile
Smoga ayahanda tercinta lekas sembuh dan membaik ya bang.

Tonya Hennessey at 6:14pm February 21
Andreas, positive thoughts to you and your dad! My father had a heart attack last spring. He is good now, but not fun at all, and hard to see one's folks growing older. Wishing the best! Take care, Tonya

Rini Pwi at 6:29pm February 21 via Facebook Mobile
adakh yg jaga,ndre? Ortu ga bole sempat jatuh...sakit ya usia ya mo nya di 'kelonin' anakny..sabar,ndre......

Chandra Prijosusilo at 6:33pm February 21
Smoga Ayahmu segera baik Andreas....

Ready Susanto at 6:51pm February 21 via Facebook Mobile
Semoga cepat pulih kesehatan ayahnya, Mas.

Irma Dana at 7:19pm February 21
mudah-mudahan tidak berat ya strokenya Mas, bisa cepat pulih lagi.

Saripudin Ha at 8:57pm February 21
mas perlu dorong semangatnya untuk sembuh. smg tak terlalu berat.
waktu ibu zahara d. noer (istri prof deliar) jalani terapi stroke, kalo ada pelatih jalan (dari RS MMC), ia mau & bs jalan tp tongkat.... tp jk tp pelatih, ia mau jalan hanya dg tongkat. "takut jatuh lagi," katanya, "saya kan sdh berumur." aku (saat itu sekpri suaminya) ga berhasil dorong semangat ibu utk pulih total.

Andreas Harsono at 9:04pm February 21
It was a mild stroke. My sisters are already at his home this evening. My father is 68 years old. He is also overweight. But it was a mild one. He needs to take a total rest. He is a social person, having many friends in his retirement, fishing, travelling, eating durian etc. I think it is time to slow down. Thank you so much for the advice. Tonight it seems things are under control.

Irma Dana at 9:07pm February 21
Alhamdulillah...!

Rozanna Rony at 9:11pm February 21
may god protect him always....

Andreas Harsono at 9:22pm February 21
My wife, Sapariah, and our son, Norman, already talked to "Engkong," telling the grandfather to slow down. My father likes swimming --three times a week-- and doing exercise. The problem is his eating habit. He likes to eat well. He is also overweight. Our mother will be strict now in controlling his diet.

Arleta Fenty at 9:45pm February 21
hope he'll be alright soon, koh. oh ya salam kenal..

Saripudin Ha at 10:17pm February 21
senang mendengarnya mas. (qad tuwuffiya abaway).
renang, seingatku sewaktu menemani bu zahara terapi, merupakan salah satu mode terapi jg....

Sunday, February 22: Andreas checked his father's situation by telephone, talking to his mother and sisters in Jember. 6:34am

Zamira Loebis at 6:35am February 22
I will pray for the best for your father, mas Andre.

Muhammad Yamin Sh wrote at 3:44am
Mendoakan semoga ayahnya segera sembuh....tetap tegar ya bung...
Wall-to-Wall - Write on Muhammad's Wall

Owais Aslam Ali wrote at 11:43pm
Hey Andreas, I hope your father gets well soon
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Kwan Men-Yon wrote at 9:45pm
Pak Andreas yg saya kagumi,

Iya Pak, emang harus jaga makan. Papa saya juga pasien stroke, tp yg kelas berat. Kejadiannya di suatu malam Juni 2006. Stlh 6 bln papa bisa jalan lagi. Tp skrg akhirnya berjalan dgn tongkat akibat jatuh thn lalu. Bbrp bulan sblm dihajar stroke, papa yg lumayan tambun (berat sekitar 90 kg, tinggi 1,65 m) udah gejala ...
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Lenah Susianty wrote at 5:57pm
Biar bapakmu cepat sehat ya Andreas
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Goenawan Mohamad wrote at 5:51pm
Saya ingat ayah Andre. Mudah-mudahan keadaan membaik setiap saat.
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Andreas Harsono at 6:37am February 22
Thanks Zamira. I feel like old, suddenly. I am his eldest child, making many phone calls to my sisters and relatives. He is basically better today but I am nervous about stonger stroke.

Zamira Loebis at 6:41am February 22
Be there for your Mother... she will need your strength more than ever. You're welcome, mas. Been there in such situation before... tough time...

Yanti Mirdayanti at 6:46am February 22
Dear Mas Andreas! I just heard this afternoon (Bonn time) about your Dad from Ayu - Radio DW. I pray for him and his recovery. Amin!

Jeff Hadler at 7:12am February 22
Andreas -- make sure he sees a good doctor. Kurangi garam, minum aspilet, gitu. Old men are stubborn. J

Mojgan Jalali at 7:13am February 22
Andreas -- my thoughts and prayers are with your dad.

Geni Achnas at 7:42am February 22
my prayers for your dear father and strength to you.

Anugerah Perkasa at 7:43am February 22
Semoga papa-mu pulih ya mas. Doa kami berdua untuk papamu.

Andreas Harsono at 8:01am February 22
He lives in a small town with a lot of relatives and friends. I hope their presence will help him dealing with the stroke easier. He is a social man, laughing, eating, smoking and meeting his friends. I hope it helps. I have never experienced anyone seriously sick, or death, in my immediate family. This is my first time.

Sylviana Pravita at 8:11am February 22 via Facebook Mobile
Dear Mas Andreas, a bunch of prayers I send to your father and your strength.

Fitri Mohan at 8:26am February 22
Mas, I feel you. Semoga Papa cepet pulih. Be strong ya Mas.

Mia Aryani Iskandar wrote at 5:36pm
Semoga papa Pak Andreas melampaui masa krisis dengan baik.
Wall-to-Wall - Write on Mia's Wall

Kwan Men-Yon wrote at 2:38pm
He3. Persis papa saya juga begitu pak. Bawaannya pengen mkn enak melulu meski sakit. Gak suka yg rasanya plain kyk bubur, dan semacamnya. Org kayak papa saya dan Pak Andreas benar2 menikmati kehidupan lewat makanan. He3. Tks kembali Pak Andreas. Senang banget kalo bisa mbantu. Gbu.
Wall-to-Wall - Write on Kwan's Wall

Muhammad Yamin Sh wrote at 10:35am
Syukurlah, senang mendengar keadaan ayahnya sudah membaik. Keadaanku baik2 saja. Setahun terakhir aku banyk di Tegal dan Brebes, persiapan kampanye.
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Yuli Nava wrote at 8:49am
semoga ayahnya mas andreas cepat sembuh.
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Merlin Herlina wrote at 7:15am
Semoga Papanya Mas Andreas lekas sembuh.
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Jennie S. Bev wrote at 6:54am
Wish your father a quick recovery.
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Retno Pudjiastuti wrote at 6:50am
aku ikut berdoa semoga ayah mas Andreas diberi kesembuhan dan sehat kembali. be strong ya, mas..
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Jim Morrill wrote at 6:39am
Good luck to your father Andreas.... I hope everything is OK.
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Eko Gunarto wrote at 9:36pm
Kbr baik thanks, iya lama tak bersua. Btw papa mending dicek lagi komprehensif spy tdk anfaal lagi. Di jkt banyak dokter syaraf bagus. Dokter Eka di karawaci dll. Senang ud denger kbr papa ud membaik. GBU
Wall-to-Wall - Write on Eko's Wall

Mojgan Jalali wrote at 9:01pm
Hi Andreas,
It is great to hear from you. Wow, Norman in grade seven? Unbelievable. Andy is in 8th grade and Sahara in 2nd. Doesn't time just fly?
Wall-to-Wall - Write on Mojgan's Wall

Oktafiandi Wibisono wrote at 7:21pm
Semoga papamu cepat sembuh.
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Eko Gunarto wrote at 6:54pm
Andreas semoga papa cepat sembuh,ada rencana dibawa berobat ke jkt?
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Kwan Men-Yon wrote at 6:16pm
Turut mendoakan semoga ayah Pak Andreas cepat sehat kembali.
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Coen Husain Pontoh wrote at 6:44pm
bung, ada apa sama papanya? As shabri minallah, semoga bisa menguatkan
Wall-to-Wall - Write on Coen's Wall

Coen Husain Pontoh wrote at 7:15am
Kalau sudah begitu, peran orang yang akan nunggui/temanin bapak akan sangat penting "keras-cum sabar." Dulu, ketika alm. ibu saya kena darah tinggi, yang bisa ngingetin hanya bapak saya. Kita semua gak berdaya kalo mami udah sebulan nggak makan garam trus kepingin banget..
Wall-to-Wall - Write on Coen's Wall

Monday, February 23: Andreas is now chasing his deadlines, one today, another on Wednesday. 6:15pm

Clinton's Chance to Push Beyond Cliches

By Andreas Harsono

Hillary Clinton visiting Jakarta in February 2009

- Vivanews Photo

Jakarta Globe - Opinion Page

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is expected to use her visit to Jakarta this week as a platform to speak to Muslims in many countries. But she should be careful not to say that Muslims in Indonesia are “moderate,” as most diplomatic visitors like to say. For members of persecuted religious groups in Indonesia, it is a useless and inaccurate cliche.

It is true that Indonesia has the largest Muslim population of any single country in the world, but this large population lives mostly on the island of Java. Other islands in the archipelago have a mixed religious character — Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and Confucianist, among others. Some are even predominantly Christian, such as the sparsely populated islands like Flores, Rote, Timor, Papua, the Malukus, and smaller islands like Tanimbar, Kei and Dobo. “The Christians,” said Frans Anggal of the Flores Pos daily, “live and dominate in the eastern islands.”

In recent years, the Indonesian state, dominated mostly by Javanese Muslims, has become less tolerant toward minority religions.

Last June, the Yudhoyono government passed a decree ordering the Ahmadiyah community to “stop spreading interpretations and activities that deviate from the principal teachings of Islam.”

Ahmadiyah followers identify themselves as Muslims, but differ from other Muslims as to whether Muhammad was the “final” monotheist prophet; consequently, many Muslims perceive Ahmadiyah followers as “heretics.” Violations of the decree are punishable by up to five years in prison.

In 1969, the Indonesian government issued a decree that requires anyone building “a house of worship” to receive prior approval from other religious leaders. In practice, it means Christian leaders must get a permit from Muslim clerics when they want to build a new church. The rule is still in effect, and makes it extremely difficult to build churches in Java and Sumatra.

Attacks against churches in Java and Sumatra increased after the regulation. Christian groups say that mobs forcibly closed or burned down more than 480 churches between 1969 and 2007. In January 2008, a mob burned down the Sangkareang Hindu temple in West Lombok, and in July, Muslim hardliners attacked students at a Christian school in East Jakarta, wounding 18 and forcing the school to shut its 20-year-old campus.

Concern over rising religious intolerance is not the only human rights issue Clinton should raise with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Freedom of expression is also a huge problem on islands where ethnic minorities show their resistance toward the Indonesian state. But in Indonesia, even peaceful acts like a flag raising can land you in jail for a long time. In April 2008, in Ambon, Maluku Province, a court sentenced Johan Teterisa, a schoolteacher, to life in prison for the crime of rebellion for raising the Benang Raja, or the South Maluku Republic flag. In Papua, more than two dozen political activists are in prison for raising the Morning Star flag.

Indonesia has made little progress in reining in the military since former president Suharto stepped down from power in May 1998. There is still no accountability for serious rights violations. A key litmus test has been the case of Munir, a highly regarded human rights advocate who was fatally poisoned on a Garuda flight four years ago. On Dec. 31, 2008, a Jakarta court acquitted Maj. Gen. Muchdi Purwopranjono, a former deputy in the State Intelligence Agency, of Munir’s murder in a trial marred by witness coercion and intimidation.

Indonesian military officers have yet to be brought to justice for the massacres they helped command in East Timor, Papua, Aceh, the Malukus, Borneo, and elsewhere. Without any expectation of punishment, human rights abuses continue on these islands.

Clinton should also remind Jakarta to respect the Helsinki agreement signed between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement. The 2005 agreement stipulates Jakarta must set up a tribunal for Indonesian soldiers and Aceh guerrillas involved in extrajudicial killings and other human rights abuses during the conflict from 1976 to 2005. The tribunal was supposed to be in operation by Aug. 31, 2007, but Jakarta has made no serious efforts toward its establishment.

Clinton may be tempted to gloss over issues like religious freedom, impunity, and military reform, in favor of closer Indonesian-US ties. But if she does, she’ll miss a golden opportunity to transform the lives of many people in Indonesia who need pressure on the government to recognize their rights.

Andreas Harsono is the Indonesia and East Timor consultant for Human Rights Watch.

Around New York

While visiting New York recently, I stayed in an apartment located only two blocks from Central Park. It is sometimes snowing in February. Everyday I passed this famous park, seeing the snow covering trees, grounds, benches etc.

One night, Coen Husain Pontoh, an old friend from Pantau, accompanied me to have an interview with a broken man. It was a difficult evening. There was a snow blizzard. We have to take a taxi. The interview was pretty bad. What I met was a dead man alive!

Visiting Bill Kovach

Bill Kovach is the chairman of the Committee of Concerned Journalists in Washington DC. He is also co-author of the book "The Elements of Journalism." He told me it's been translated into 38 languages, including Indonesian Malay. I used to study under Kovach at Harvard as a Nieman Fellow on Journalism. I visited Kovach at the National Press Building on Monday, February 9, 2009, talking about our families and discussing the state of our journalism.


ICIJ Meeting in London
Bill Kovach brought me to walk around London on my birthday, Aug. 7, 2005, when we were attending an International Consortium of Investigative Journalists conference.

Elements of Free Press in Indonesia
Bill Kovach wrote his view on the emerge of free press in Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Bali and Jogjakarta, visiting the five cities in December 2004.

Independensi Bill Kovach
Saya menemani Bill Kovach keliling beberapa kota besar di Sumatra, Jawa dan Bali. Kami diskusi selama 10 hari lebih, menjadi penterjemah Kovach.