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ACTNews, BELU
– For Niki Sumantri, a Muslim preacher on the outskirts of Indonesia, this
year's independence day is still shrouded in grief. On the other hand, it
should also be a moment to foster a sense of optimism in the community for a
better life for the nation.
Niki Sumantri is
ACT's Muslim Preacher for Indonesian Outer Islands. He was assigned to Atambua
in East Nusa Tenggara’s Belu Regency. Every day, he teaches the Muslim converts
in the interior of East Nusa Tenggara. For him, the independence day during the
pandemic is still filled with sadness. Many have died from COVID-19. Others who
are not infected have had their lives severely impacted. In addition, many
students still have no access to proper education.
"Independence
might be understood as freedom from colonizers, but in today’s context, we
still have to liberate ourselves from the Covid-19 pandemic and poverty. For
me, this year's independence day does not need to be celebrated lavishly
because many have died from COVID-19 and many students in remote areas still have
no access to education," Niki said when contacted by ACTNews, Sunday (8/15/2021).
According to him, Islamic
education has not received enough attention although many people who newly converted to Islam still need guidance.
“Muslim children
who convert to Islam are enthusiastic about learning the Qur’an if someone
teaches them. However, there are only a few teachers. Islamic religious
instructors come only once a week. Due to the far distance between the
neighborhoods that they visit, they often only visit two places in a day,” he
said.
Even so, celebration
of independence during the pandemic serves as a reminder not only about the
struggle against the invaders but also against the current Covid-19 pandemic,
poverty, and ignorance. He says that Indonesians must be optimistic that they
will win and welcome a better life in the future.
"The pandemic
isn't over yet, but we can't give up. We must be optimistic that we will win this
struggle. Everything will return to normal; the community’s welfare will
increase, and every child in this country will have equal rights to education,”
explained Niki.
Niki hopes the
community, especially children in remote areas, will not stop learning both
religious and non-religious sciences despite limitations. []
