I

am writing to ask for your support in bringing to light the truth about the recent allegations regarding Jakarta International School'€™s (JIS) Ferdinant Tjiong and Neil Bantleman, two JIS faculty members who are in police custody. I appeal to you in the name of the community we share.

Let me tell you about my connection to you, to this school and to these two men. I arrived in Jakarta in 1988 to teach first grade at Pattimura School, one of the elementary branches of JIS.

I was eager to immerse myself in Indonesian culture. I learned Indonesian and how to fast at Ramadhan in recognition of those less fortunate. I learned about Ibu Kartini and the struggle for Indonesian independence.

I fell in love with this nation'€™s diversity, batik, gamelan, dangdut, nasi padang and eventually, my former husband, with whom I have a child.

The 24 years I lived in Indonesia will always be remembered as the best time of my life, for the passion and dedication of the teachers with whom I worked, the beautiful children we taught and the warmth and friendliness of our host country'€™s community members who made us feel so welcome.

Although I moved to Germany in 2012, Indonesia remains the home of my heart and for this I thank Indonesia'€™s generous people. We keep close ties with the JIS community and our Indonesian family.

I return every May to attend the JIS high school graduation and to see our foster son and our former housemaid'€™s son, who are among those we continue to support through their schooling. We do this because we believe in Indonesia'€™s future, and that educated young people are the most powerful resources to support the country'€™s democracy.

Our son attended JIS for 14 years. I attribute the fine qualities of respect, tolerance and compassion he exhibits to the JIS teachers who helped to shape his character and to the many Indonesians he grew to love who also practice these traits '€” people like Neil and Ferdi. Ours is just one of many JIS experiences. Thousands of JIS alumni, both expatriates and Indonesians, are living around the world, teaching, working in hospitals or as environmental activists to save the world'€™s oceans and in NGOs.

Many who attend JIS later return to Indonesia to live and work. Some of them have opened orphanages and sports camps for kampung children. Others are working to create solutions for clean water and accessible electricity.

Former and current JIS students and faculty, like Neil and Ferdi, have participated in rebuilding Indonesia'€™s coral reefs, providing housing and education for street kids, building Habitats for Humanity, helping with flood and tsunami relief and making a multitude of other contributions to Indonesia'€™s future. All of them are committed to living the JIS motto, to be the best for the world.

Now my friends, this is my plea.

JIS, this wonderful school, is under threat from dangerous allegations made by a few individuals. Innocent teachers of various nationalities have been deported, or had their passports confiscated. Neil and Ferdi have been falsely accused of the heinous crime of pedophilia and these two innocent men are being detained by the police without evidence.

We need your help in calling on the highest officials of the land to support the rule of law and justice, by which our Tanah Air is governed. Indonesia'€™s future is bright and now is the time to take a stand against the sort of senseless corruption and greed that appears to be driving these allegations.

Help our JIS community to continue to flourish in partnership with you, Indonesia. Help free and exonerate Neil and Ferdi.
 
Kristan Julius
Former JIS teacher (1988-2012)
Jakarta