Indonesian political prisoner, writer to speak

Described by many as Indonesia’s greatest living writer, Pramoedya (prah-MAY-dee-ah) Anata (AN-ah-tah) Toer (tour) is in Madison this week to promote his new memoir, “A Mute’s Soliloquy.”

Toer has endured three terms of imprisonment, starting under the Dutch for his active participation in the Indonesian revolution. The Soekarno administration took offense at his support for the country’s ethnic Chinese community. The now-fallen Suharto government arrested Toer for his interest in the Indonesian Communist Party and other leftist causes.

During his last imprisonment, from 1965-1979 in a forced labor camp on the island of Buru, Toer wrote his best-known books, a series of novels chronicling the awakening of Indonesian nationalism, “The Buru Quartet.”

Toer will speak twice at UW–Madison. His first lecture will be in English on Thursday, May 6, at 3 p.m. in the Pyle Center (check video board for room location). At 7 p.m., he will sign copies of his book at Borders on University Avenue. He will speak in his native language Friday, May 7, at 3:30 p.m. in the Pyle Center.

To schedule an interview or for more information, contact Caty Greene at the UW–Madison Center for Southeast Asian Studies, which is sponsoring his visit. Call (608) 262-1755.