Professional Documents
Culture Documents
MARCH
2005
AFTERMATH OF
THE TSUNAMI See page 2 for latest updates
From all around the world stories have vision made their trips immediately and keting, boats, household articles, clothes.
been coming in of the generosity and ac- joined hands in relief works. Though this They report that all happened within three
tivity of the Subud community in helping was strong at my gut level, my reasons and minutes just like lightning.
the victims of the tsunami disaster. Here experience in Oxfam warned me not rush
is a selection of some of the news… in too fast. Hence I waited, and visited the Just three waves destroyed their whole
Tsunami victims after three weeks. village / Kuppam / Koodisaigal. There are
FROM INDONESIA different types of feelings among them.
I met the families of the affected at Chen- The families have recovered from the ini-
As earlier reported Susila Dharma nai. These families, women, children and tial shocks and a sense of emptiness has set
International and Subud Youth have men have suffered the loss of all...their in. Initially they “felt stunned” for days.
organized a unit to go to Aceh to help the very HOPE. The seashore where I met Now they have started becoming slightly
people there. Now Ariana Susanti, SDIA these families show the sand pits, with active. The fisher people, unlike the farm-
Director in Jakarta, writes… pieces of broken homes entangled amongst ers, are those who live by daily earning.
the clothes and distorted vessels, where They do not seed, cultivate and store.
Mardiana and Agus of Subud Youth in their houses once were. The clothes of the Their job is to harvest and distribute im-
Jakarta have collected Rp. 1.842.000 children and saris were flying like flags mediately. Now they are left with nothing
(USD$198) and goods (basic needs such here and there. I met with around thirty- in store.
as food, water, medicine, clothes etc, a five families. Had discussion with twenty-
total of four truckloads). The goods have five women. Met the local youth forum What they suffer from is a lack of courage
been delivered, at first phase on 3rd Jan members who offered their help to the and inadequate strength to face the future.
and will be delivered on the second phase really needy ones. Suddenly they feel too old to start another
on 7th Jan by Hercules plane direct to life. The onlookers come and go. The gov-
Aceh, facilitated by one of her relatives. The actual area I selected was Srinivasapu- ernment makes a lot of promises on the
ram Kodisai and Bhavanikuppam, which media and through their officials. The for-
They also plan to send strong volunteers. are located just near Marina beach in malities are laborious. The immediate
They have selected ten volunteers who Chennai. Out of 535 families, 120 families doles reach them on and off. There are
will be replaced by the next volunteers have totally vanished. Since none from other poor around their area who also
every two weeks. These volunteers will those families are alive, there were no make use of this opportunity to take their
also cooperate with one of the local TV mourners and help seekers. Another 45 share from the lots.
stations which organized emergency relief families had moved out on 26th December
for Aceh's disaster (If possible, they also 2005, for some reason or other. There The children who are still left alive, are to
will cooperate with the Subud branch in were 370 families where one member or pursue their education at any cost. They
North Sumatra, located in Medan), and the other had been washed away scream- need to go back to schools. They need
IRDN, and other institutions. They will be ing for help and survival which was being their books, uniforms and some
coordinated by SD Indonesia. witnessed by their very close relatives decent clothing. We asked one girl Uma
helplessly. Meheshwari why she did not go to
FROM INDIA school. She explained that she did not have
Some of them do not sleep peacefully even uniform to wear. Such genuine needs and
Bella, Susila Dharma Chair in India, now, feeling guilty for not having joined expectations ought to be met.
writes… them in death. Their settlements were de-
stroyed and their livelihoods stolen by the The second need is to help them search for
Ever since the disaster in Asia happened, I very sea that sustained them. Families got an alternative livelihood. It is time for the
was longing to visit them and stretch out a fragmented. Many of these families had
helping hand. My friends with similar lost their fishing nets, baskets for fish mar- Continued on page 14.
“The gift of Subud Voice is very useful to What’s to be Done? If you enjoy Subud Voice, talk about it to
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Currently we have about 750 subscrip- out there for us to substantially increase Nobody Wants to see Subud Voice
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AUD$1,000 (US$750/UK£400/€590) a How Can I Help? independent and international publication
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Subud Voice is also only able to continue especially our Bapak: the Man and His
because certain very large jobs consuming Online subscribers please do not give your Mission video series which tells the story
many hours each month – such as the ad- Subud Voice password to other people and of Bapak’s life and the history of Subud.
ministration which includes subscription please do not circulate our Subud Voice We will soon be announcing the re-issue of
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We have all the problems of any small- We also hope that print subscribers will ing please help spread the word about
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small a subscription base. Moving the op- course, but please do not distribute twenty Bradford Temple
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Group subscribers who have now chosen Fax: ++ 61 2 42621725
And these days we have to compete with a to get the OnLine version, please only Email: admin@subudvoice.net
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time Subud Voice was the only way to get not many copies for all your group mem- NSW, 2530, Australia.
news about Subud, now we compete with bers. All we are asking is a reasonable
3. Locate world congresses in each zone The IHs and Zone Reps travel around and
by rotation. Therefore the next spread the words and ideas developed at
zone to host it would be zone 5 and so on. those meetings, whose cost of around
This will cut out the lobbying and ques- $50,000 doesn't seem to be too much in
tionable testing etc and allows zones to order to keep Subud as just one worldwide
plan in advance - like the Olympic games. group of individual members and not a Hanafi Hayes.
collection of countries.
4. All appointments for period between I believe that a less elaborate and bureau-
congresses, i.e., International office hold- Another proposal of WSC in Rungan Sari cratic structure, for what still is a very
ers; zonal representatives, “zonal” help- last June was that both SES and Youth small organisation, would set the stage for
ers - this term, to replace “international” should be services provided by ISC, who a much needed warmer, more caring and
helpers; Chairs of Wings etc to be tested would appoint their Chairs, as term after more humane atmosphere in Subud.
by all the delegates present at congress and term our present arrangement has not
voted on by them. worked properly. It is time that we look less at our own na-
vels and create a simpler and smoother
5. Zone representatives and zone helpers to We come to World Congress without a working platform which will encourage
liaise with SD and ISC in identifying the clear picture and by a kind of inertia new again more participation and support from
real needs in their zones that genuinely Chairs are appointed by Congress to both the side of the membership towards that
warrant financial assistance for group lati- Wings, but having no real support from the organisation.
han facilities or for staging zonal kejiwaan members nor a constituency that can pro-
days, etc. and ISC to make application on vide the ground for their task - their roles Let's be more courageous, let's concentrate
their behalf to MSF or by appeal to get the seem to be rather hopeless, just existing to on two important pillars as regards our
necessary funds. fill in our current organizational structure. “worldly” activities: enterprises and cul-
tural activities, which will enable us to
6. Zones should have annual kejiwaan It was considered that for Youth we would achieve goals and to enhance our lives and
gatherings - not international jamborees, prefer to offer programmes and activities make for lively and interesting communi-
but with total concentration on the latihan devised by professionals - not by non pro- ties.
and the helpers responsibilities. fessional youngsters - or any kind of or-
ganization whose purpose is not clear. Let us change the attitude of poverty and
7. Zonal reps should meet as an interna- lack of ability into one of wealth and
tional body (council) just once after three From Hermina Ruetz Hermina was one unlimited abilities and possibilities. For
years, to compare notes and make recom- of the team which organised the Bali this we need the youth to be in the centre
mendations (based on submissions from all World Congress. She was the manager of of our family. Why was there a more thriv-
national committees in their zone) for the the congress organizing team and also ing, more enthusiastic and more exciting
next congress. served as ISC secretary from 1971 to life in our community in the pioneering
1975... period? One of the main reasons was cer-
8. Subud Youth as a separate association tainly that most of us were young then.
or entity should be disbanded and ab- Thanks for the breath of fresh air, Hanafi !
sorbed into the whole body of Subud. I agree to all points in your message and I
truly hope that your proposal will be thor- Haris Wolfgang, USA, had the following
There's a start. Probably needs fleshing out oughly pondered with an open attitude by comments to each of Hanafi’s proposals,
a bit more, but perhaps the various points Congress as it contains decisive steps and they are numbered in the same order
can be discussed. which can turn around rather painful and as Hanafi’s proposals.
unnecessary ailments in our community.
Hanafi Hayes, from the Zone 7 1. Seems like an idea worth serious dia-
Listserver: e/m hanafi@hotkey.net.au Streamlining and simplifying the organisa- logue.
tional set up in this way would not only
Laurencio Young, present ISC Chair, allow for more continuity but would create 2. Seems like a long overdue idea and
replied to Hanafi’s proposals as follows: a more effective organisation truly serving worth dialogue.
the purpose of its existence.
Continued on page 14.
One of the areas where some Subud It is only when I changed my name legally, price $32.95 U.S.
members lack courage and understanding that I realised how often we use our names.
is in the effect that a name has on our own Every time we call on the phone, every Name changes were a top priority with
self and the importance of changing our time we sign cheques orletters or any Bapak. Among the many letters he
name. Even though this is available, some documents. We use our own name many, would receive, letters concerning name
do not take advantage of this real many times every single day. So if our changes would be answered first. This
opportunity. own name has a bad effect on us, that ef- shows that he regarded the effect of the
fect is multiplied by all the times we use it. name of a person as an important factor in
Some others get a name that is correct for It is like inflicting a severe punishment their lives.
their inner self and for their development, upon our own selves because we repeat it
but then only use the name with Subud day and night for the whole length of our Some people wrote to Bapak several times
members, which means that the use of the lives. to request a second name. After some time,
name, and therefore the benefits that some people felt that they had "outgrown"
someone gets, is close to being onexistent. What a punishment. If anyone else would their new name so they would write for
punish us in this manner, we would bitterly another name. Bapak usually obliged and
Still others who changed their name some complain. We would say that whoever is would give another name to the person.
years ago when Bapak was alive are now doing that to us is a ruthless person. But
going back to their former name, which we do this to our own selves constantly. Now that Bapak is no longer with us, Ibu
has a detrimental effect on them. They This is what lack of courage and lack of Rahayu has explained that it is better to ask
went forward for several years and now understanding can do to us. for only one name and then stick to it, and
they are going backward. They will go not go on changing. When one changes his
back to the nature and problems they had We have God's help and guidance avail- or her name, it is a new beginning. To
before changing their names. able to us, but it is as though we don't want change one's name several times, means
to use it. We don't want the guidance. Then that the person starts from the beginning
It is true that one needs courage to change we complain of not getting results or help again and again. When someone asked her
one's name. I changed my name, and it by being in Subud and practicing the lati- why Bapak gave several names, she replied
took some courage to tell people, "My han. that he did not want to disappoint people.
name is now Simon." I changed my name
o completely that my old name Roland is The helpers need to give more explana-
completely forgotten. Even my relatives or tions and ought to test with the members USE AND LEGALISE THAT NEW
my old friends or acquaintances now know and helpers on this matter (Of course one NAME
me only as Simon. To people calling of the problems is that helpers are not
"Roland", after I had changed my name, I really helpers, and they also lack under- a letter from Sudarto Martohudojo, Subud
would say, "Roland is dead." standing of what Subud is and what effect International Secretariat. Published in
our name has on us). Pewarta Vol. 5, No. 4, Nov. 1967.
He died saying what sounded like Pak, As he read it before we put the paper to With regard to your question as to whether
Pak, Pak ...!" bed, Varindra looked at me knowingly it is necessary for the women in Subud
and said: whose husbands are not in Subud to inform
After the Premier's condemnation of our their husbands of their new name, Bapak
beloved Pak Subuh, Bapak, we wondered Putha (son), does this headline remind says that it is necessary that a woman
how we could present this to the public at you of what it reminds me?" inform her husband even though he is not
large who would all be eagerly expecting yet in Subud.
to hear those last words. We both nodded as we silently
remembered the Prime Minister's As for your question as to whether it is
I had a sudden flash of inspiration and words about Osmond de Silva: necessary to have one's name changed
said to Varindra: legally, Bapak says that, if it is possible, it
"Varindra, he was a classics scholar. "Not even a Subud miracle could save is best if the name change be made official
Could he have been trying to say 'Pax, Osmond de Silva." And his published and be legalised.
pax, pax - peace, peace, peace'..?" remark that"Pak Subuh... will never
Varindra's round, expressive face, broke succeed in Sri Lanka".
into a smile of relief; "'Brilliant!" he said
"We will run with that"' - Suren de Silva
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15 March 2005
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