Refugee Journalism in Indonesia: Self-Representation, Resistance, and Writing across Borders

Abstract

Abstract By presenting the political engagements of a young refugee from Myanmar who was stuck in Indonesia for nine years, this article discusses the role, value, and importance of refugee writing. Refugees are prohibited from working in Indonesia. Any form of income-generation can result in serious pitfalls, including detention and other punishments. Writing—for international newspapers, blogs, and journals—presents a unique opportunity for earning money while also providing a platform for voicing refugee concerns and engaging in activism beyond borders. Yet, politically motivated writing also comes with certain risks, i.e., exposing the refugee authors to authorities. While this collaboratively written account portrays the struggles and the small and big successes in gaining a voice and communicating across borders of one refugee activist, it remains cautious in prescribing writing as an effective tool for all refugees stuck in transit, thus acknowledging also their ongoing destitution and precarity.