May 26, 2007
Hazairin R. JUNEP
The Japanese Esperanto Institute is issuing a special invitation to 23 Asian Esperanto activists to take part in this year's World Esperanto Congress in Yokohama. In the April issue of the Japanese magazine La Revuo Orienta JEI has published statements by each of these people. I am reproducing them here, in English translation, one by one.
The next listed activist is Hazairin R. JUNEP of Indonesia. Junep is a 46-year-old author and tourist guide.
Professionally, in truth I have no permanent labor; I often teach English or other languages, guide tourists or sell things ... I am a volunteer and often take part in the action of a group in organizing aid for the victims of catastrophe or conflict.
I have learned and can speak five languages, but I feel that none of the languages has the right to be called an international language.
Esperanto and I
By good luck, in 2003 I found an old magazine from the year 1952, with a short article about Esperanto. Later I listened to the broadcast from China Radio International, in Esperanto, and I understood about 70% of it! only one day after reading the article. I fell in love with Esperanto.
I immediately started writing letters to the Esperanto Section of China Radio International and took part in the contest about knowledge of China. I won third prize. I wrote the first Esperanto-Indonesian vocabulary. (1) Now I'm trying to publish it and will bring it to the World Esperanto Congress if that is possible.
I wrote a short article in our newspaper about Esperanto, translated and distributed documents in both Esperanto and Indonesian, up to today.
At the end of 2004, I corresponded with Mrs. Dianne LUKES, who later visited me twice, a few days before our country was hit by the tsunami. She is my guide and also my mother and the grandmother of my children.
World Esperanto Congress and After
At the World Esperanto Congress I want to talk about peace with our comrades in Japan, because we have the same problem in history. I want to visit the cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, to pray for the victims of the bombs. I also want to experience how the Japanese live and to introduce my country. I want to experience Esperanto-land.
Afterwards, when I return home, I will be able to begin visiting universities to have a course or just to talk about Esperanto. And I will continue to work on my Indonesian-Esperanto Vocabulary. With several new Esperanto speakers I want to establish an association and more effectively disseminate the language throughout my country.