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Displaced Ahmadis overcome despair to donate blood
About 80 displaced Ahmadis in the Wisma Transito shelter in Mataram, Lombok, donated blood on Friday to show they were still following their beliefs.
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Blood for humanity: Displaced Ahmadis donate blood in the Wisma Transito shelter in Mataram, Lombok on Aug. 26. They hold regular blood donation three to four times a year to show they care for humanity despite being neglected by the government. (JP/Panca Nugraha)
Panca Nugraha
The Jakarta Post/Mataram
About 80 displaced Ahmadis in the Wisma Transito shelter in Mataram, Lombok, donated blood on Friday to show they were still following their beliefs.
“This is a regular event. We have been doing this since we moved here in 2006,” Syahidin, the coordinator of the displaced Ahmadis, told The Jakarta Post. He said the blood donation was done three to four times a year.
Dozens of families have been displaced since February 2006 when they were forced to leave their homes in Ketapang hamlet, in Lingsar district, West Lombok, because of their beliefs.
Syahidin said 2016 is their 11th year in exile from their homes and their future still looked bleak. There are 33 families and 118 Ahmadis who live in Wisma Transito. Since 2006, 25 children have been born in the shelter and nine adults have died, he said.
“We have stopped sending letters to offices. Our attempts [to gain justice] have fallen on deaf ears,” he said.
A displaced resident, Pramono, 50, said he had donated blood 50 times in the shelter. He said even though the government did not care for them, they wanted to show that they still wanted to contribute to humanity.
“Our teachings say, love for all, hatred for none. Amid our limitations, we can only donate blood for anyone who is in need,” Pramono said.
“We want to go home, to live in normal situation like other Indonesians, to have the freedom to work as we wish, raise our children, give them education and health,” resident Asmawati, 35, said.
“We feel neglected. If we can return home, my husband can farm and grow crops,” she said. (evi)
