In Defence of Marxism

Just One Day Comrade (Sehari Saja Kawan) is one of many poems written by a well-known Indonesian poet Wiji Thukul about the strength of workers' unity. Through the power of his words, he has inspired many youth and workers to fight against the oppressive capitalism.

Born in Solo in 1963, Wiji Thukul was the son of a pedicab driver and a day labourer himself. In the early 1990s he became involved with the Peoples Democratic Party (PRD) and with other revolutionary artists he set up the Peoples Culture Network (JAKER). His artistic activities were always closely connected to the struggle of workers and poor urban residents around him.

In December 1995 he nearly lost his sight as a result of police brutality when he was leading a strike of the Sritex textile workers. He became a member of the PRD central council and had to go underground after the July 27 riots in 1996, together with many other PRD leaders and activists. He kept in touch with comrades and friends until 1998. It is likely that he was kidnapped and killed by the Indonesian military. His family and comrades are still fighting to find his whereabouts.

Here we publish one of his works in Bahasa Indonesia and English, to show that you can kill a man but you cannot kill his idea.

By: Wiji Thukul (1963 - 1998)

One comrade brings three comrades
Each one brings five comrades
How many comrades do we have?
One comrade brings three comrades
Each one brings five comrades
If we are one factory, imagine comrade!
If we are one heart comrade
One demand united in voice
One factory one force
We are not dreaming, comrade!
If one factory united in heart
Strike with one hundred posters
Three days three nights
Why not, comrade?
If one factory one trade union
United in heart
Strike together ten provinces
Just one day comrade
Just one day comrade
Just one day comrade
If we who are millions in number
United in heart and strike
Then cotton will remain cotton
Because the loom will die
Cotton will remain cotton
Will not become cloth
like rainbow the factory will die
The street as well
Kids don't go to school
Because there is no bus
The sky will be quiet
Because the planes are not flying
Because the airport dies
Just one day comrade
If we strike
And sing together in one rank
Just one day comrade
The capitalists will tremble!!

Sehari Saja Kawan

Oleh: Wiji Thukul (1963-1998)

Satu kawan bawa tiga kawan
Masing-masing nggandeng lima kawan
Sudah berapa kita punya kawan?

Satu kawan bawa tiga kawan
Masing-masing nggandeng lima kawan
Kalau kita satu pabrik bayangkan kawan!

Kalau kita satu hati kawan
Satu tuntutan bersatu suara
Satu pabrik satu kekuatan
Kita tak mimpi kawan!

Kalau satu pabrik bersatu hati
Mogok dengan seratus poster
Tiga hari tiga malam
Kenapa tidak kawan

Kalau satu pabrik satu serikat buruh
Bersatu hati
Mogok bersama sepuluh daerah
Sehari saja kawan
Sehari saja kawan

Sehari saja kawan
Kalau kita yang berjuta-juta
Bersatu hati mogok
Maka kapas tetap terwujud kapas
Karena mesin pintal akan mati
Kapas akan tetap berwujud kapas
Tidak akan berwujud menjadi kain-kain
Serupa pelangi pabrik akan lumpuh mati

Juga jalan-jalan
Anak-anak tak pergi sekolah
Karena tak ada bis
Langitpun akan sunyi
Karena mesin pesawat terbang tak berputar
Karena lapangan terbang lumpuh mati

Sehari saja kawan
Kalau kita mogok kerja
Dan menyanyi dalam satu barisan
Sehari saja kawan
Kapitalis pasti kelabakan!!