Myanmar Military vs Women’s Underwear
Galuh, in Burma
repeating ancient history,
the hunters rule the city,
blocking the sun with their helmets,
staining history with blood,
shackling people on the move.
a nun kneels in front of the killers
bending the enemy’s bayonet
women stretching out clotheslines
hanging their underwear,
cutting off the conqueror’s path,
gunpowder, conjuring them into fermented cassava.
Hey Galuh,
let’s shout out:
women of the world, send
your old underwear to Myanmar,
(preferably blood-stained ones)
sew them into flags, waving and flying,
blocking their path, confronting and conquering
the hunters.
Rawmangun, 11-03-21
Translated by Galuh Wandita, director of Asia Justice and Rights, based in Jakarta/Bali.
Militer Myanmar Melawan Celanadalam Perempuan
Galuh, di Burma
berulang sejarah purba,
para pemburu menguasai kota,
menutup matahari dengan topi baja,
mengotori sejarah dengan darah,
dan merantai gerak rakyat.
seorang suster bersimpuh di depan pembunuh
menekuk bayonet musuh
perempuan perempuan merentang tali
menjemur celanadalamnya,
memotong jalan penakluk,
mesiu, dan menyihirnya menjadi ongol- ongol, atau tape singkong.
Hai Galuh,
mari berseru:
Sahabatku perempuan sedunia, kirimkan
celana dalam bekasmu ke Myanmar,
(lebih bagus yang bernoda darah)
dijadikan bendera melambai-lambai,
memotong jalan, menyambut dan menaklukkan pemburu.
Rawmangun, 11-03-21
Putu Oka Sukanta (born 29 July 1939 in Singaraja, Bali, Indonesia) is one of the Indonesia’s literary figures. He wrote poetry, short stories and novels while still in Bali and after he moved to Yogyakarta and Jakarta. In 1966 during the time of New Order (Indonesia), he was imprisoned because he had been considered as a member of LEKRA (one of the organizations of Communist Party of Indonesia PKI) without trial. After his release in 1976, he has come to be known as a writer, journalist and an expert in the field of traditional medicine.
