Mia Bustam dan Lekra ( Lembaga Kebudayaan Rakyat)

After I was arrested, I was still a member of LEKRA (People's Cultural Movement).

I spent 13 years in jail.

But that is not a big problem. For me that was an experience.

Interesting, but also annoying because there was a spy.

First in Wirogunan prison, then I heard there was a top leader who suddenly became an interrogator.

So I was really disappointed and felt sickened.

Then I was moved to Plantungan, I was unmoved even it was for real.

I got annoyed only in my mind, instead of in my heart.

In all, I was in jailed for 13 and a half years.

6 years in Plantungan.

5 years in Wirogunan.

At first, I was in Sleman because I had lived in East Sleman.

I only got a small portion of food, corn rice with boiled young jackfruit without any flavour.

They also threw the food from the baskets, as if they were giving it to dogs.

Well, that's how it feels become the oppressed.

Then I was moved to Beteng.

It's a comfortable and free place that used to be a health clinic. And from there the story began.

On Christmas day, there were Pastors and Nuns who would entertain us.

Then RPKAD which was led by Sarwo Edi came and they started a riot.

There was a man from Pemuda Rakyat, his head was swollen and bleeding.

And 'Gendjer-Gendjer' is a song from Banyuwangi illustrating poverty during Japanese occupation.

Gendjer is a wild plant. It's usually called "Iwak" as a side dish.

In 1965, they said the song was satirizing the seven murdered generals thrown in a river.

During the Mandala Struggle, which was led by Soeharto when he was still good.

I got an order from the National Front to paint the Mandala Struggle.

Then I painted a warrior, as if it was Mandala.

The model is Tedja, my elder son.

He wore a battle uniform with a gun that I borrowed from Captain Gunung, my neighbour.

But the gun had no bullets, out of fear that it might fire later.

If the trigger wasn't pulled then it was alright. He said there were no bullets, so we used it.

Anyway, where is Soeharto right now?