My name is Bima. I served time for possession of 15 kilograms of marijuana. I was active in the student movement and organizing the occupation with the homeless, as well as organizing anti-authoritarian prisoners in the formation of unions, while campaigning for the decriminalization of drugs. Since 2022 I have been on the list of the International Week of Solidarity with Anarchist Prisoners, which is updated annually and can be accessed here.
I founded my own self-publishing, Pustaka Catut, in 2017. I manage it alone in a mess, and now still manage it from inside the prison with the help of my comrades outside. Some of the books I have translated are the works of Emma Goldman, Murray Bookchin and David Graeber into Indonesian. My main interests are the study of anarchist historiography and anthropology, and carrying out a number of researches which have, and will, result in a number of books.
Even since being imprisoned in 2021, I have written, edited and translated 4 books, 2 pamphlets and almost a dozen articles. All of this was done under pressure from a prison environment full of violence, illegal levies, inadequate food ratio, a very corrupt prison culture, in a city with the world's 1st worst pm 2.5 air pollution level in mid-October 2023 due to forest and peatland fires (while I had been diagnosed with chronic laryngitis a long time ago).
I always publish all my books in free pdf versions, and allocate dozens of books to anarchist collectives and libraries throughout Indonesia. The following are some of my works:
1. Bakunin’s Ghost and the 1926 Indonesia Communist Uprising [article, in English, 2023]
2. Multatuli and The Tendency of Anarchism [article, in English, 2023]
3. The War We Will Not Win: Anarchism and Syndicalism in the Anti-Colonial Movement in Indonesia (1908-1948) [book, in Bahasa Indonesia, 2018]
4. Dayak Mardaheka: History of Stateless Peoples in the Borneo Hinterland [book, in Bahasa Indonesia, 2021]
5. Fire and Bars: Prison Riots and Prisoner Uprisings in Indonesia (2011-2021) [book, in Bahasa Indonesia, 2022]
6. Felix’s Explosive Power: Ernest Douwes Dekker and the Idea of Anarchism (1908-1928) (target for completion in December 2023)
7. Anarchy in Alifuru: History of Stateless Societies in the Eastern Indonesian Archipelago (target for completion in early 2024)
8. From the River to the Sea: Jewish Anarchist Perspectives on the Palestinian Conflict (essay, in English, 2023)
9. From One Explosion to Another: The Radicalization of Ernest Douwes Dekker and Global Anarchism (essay, in English, 2023)
I have received a lot of support since I was first arrested, but due to several situations that I cannot explain here, I have run out of savings. I write this in despair. I don't want to be a burden to the people around me anymore. Therefore, I submit this proposal to my unknown comrade from different parts of the world, to help me with urgent funding so I can focus on writing, print my own books, share sales proceeds fairly with comrades who help manage book sales, and finally continue to run the publication. Give me another chance to improve my condition while serving my sentence in the coming years. How are fundraising proceeds allocated?
1. Living expenses while writing the book, which includes room and board contributions, meals, gallons of drinking water, etc, around €60/month (a total of €180 for three months, from December 2023-February 2024),
2. Procurement of books, access to commercial literature websites, costs for communication and other needs, around IDR 1 million (60€),
3. And most importantly, costs for book printing, around IDR 4 million (237€).
In total, I need aroubd €500. Is there another way to help?
1. You can become a regular patron of Pustaka Catut via Patreon or if you are thinking about donating in the future, via sociabuzz.
2. If you are willing to help procure the books (both physical and ebook versions) that I needs, which are all unaffordable (both price and availability) in Indonesia, you can contact me via email, and I will send you a list.
3. Offer my book to anarchist publishers to translate books that have been or will be published, so that I can reach a wider audience.
4. Share this campaign (I prefer private channels) and find out about the rapid growth of the anarchist movement in Indonesia against the cruel developmentalist regime which deprives the urban poor, farmers and indigenous people of their land, in here, or here.
I can provide other details. For further information, contact:
Instagram: @pustakacatut
Email: pustakacatut(Æ)gmail(Ø)com
I hope you guys will only hear about my work and contributions in the future. Thank you and f*ck this dystopia.
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