Sigit Widodo, Jakarta - A third of Pramoedya Ananta Toer's life was spent in jail. But in jail his imagination as a writer did not die. Pram says he does not feel vengeful against the New Order regime, even though the former head of the People's Cultural Institute (Lekra) was jailed without trial for years on Buru island.

In fact Pram admits to pitying the New Order. "I am not vengeful but have pity, [for those who] are so low", said Pram to reporters. The following are excerpts from an interview with Pram with journalists when he was inaugurated as a member of the People's Democratic Party (PRD) on Sunday March 21.

Question: Why did you decide to join the PRD?

Pram: Because the PRD is a youth movement who's hands, as far as I know, have not been stained with the blood of murder, there is no money from corruption in their pockets. They just have good intentions for the country and their nation. [Members of the PRD] are abducted [and are still missing], are still jailed without any reasonable basis. But they just keep going. Because of this I have an obligation to give moral assistance, first of all. It is because of this that I have great hope in the youth movement.

Question: If the PRD wins the elections what will be your attitude to the New Order regime?

Pram: I do not have any power and do not dream of having power. It's up to healthy laws. To educate [society] that each person is responsible [for what they do]. If the PRD wins a healthy, positive laws will be enacted.

Question: Don't you want revenge?

Pram: Actually I have pity, [for those who] are so lowly. Everything I owned was taken [lit: plundered], even my child's diaper! I do not want revenge but have pity.

Question: What was your political aim in joining the PRD? Pram: I don't have a political goal, [what I do politically as a member of the PRD] is entirely up to the youth.

Question: Why did you choose the PRD and not another party?

Pram: What other party? I don't trust any of the other parties. My rights have been taken away and all of them act as if this never happened. Golkar, the United Development Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party, what have they said about it? Not one case [of human rights abuses against me] was taken up [by them]. I became a political prisoner without being tried and they never raised it in the parliament. Instead the parliament agreed with it. So those parties have no relevance.

Question: How do you view the party leaders who were involved in bringing down Suharto?

Pram: What party!

Question: For example [Megawati's] PDI-Perjuangan, [Gus Dur's] National Awakening Party, [Amien Rais'] National Mandate Party?

Pram: As I said. There so many parties. What have they said. Have they ever defended me. They never said anything. I don't trust them, okay. [They are all full of] empty talk.

Question: Now that you have become involved in the world of politics will you abandon the world of literature?

Pram: That depends on how my dictation is, ha.. ha.. ha..

Question: What do you mean?

Pram: Yeah, I still want to work in literature.

Question: So you won't abandon literature?

Pram: I don't think so.

Question: How do you view the culture of violence which is occurring at the moment?

Pram: It is the culture of cannibalism. Because we have not long abandoned cannibalism. Only 150 years ago. It is not yet 50 years since we left the culture of the stone age. So certainly it is still easy to sink lower than the cultural standards in the hands of people who are uncultured. The more uncultured the political leaders, the power holders, the government leaders, the lower the level of culture will sink. And if the level of culture declines, any political systems will be the same in the end. [Translated by James Balowski]