Rony Marton in one of his performances in front of the Czechoslovakian public. Photo from Marton's private collection, used with his permission. Rony Marton may not be a well-known name in Indonesia but in 1970s Czechoslovakia, Marton could draw crowds. He was an Indonesian scholar studying in Europe when General Suharto grabbed power from President Sukarno in 1965. The new government banned hundreds of pro-Sukarno scholars like Rony from returning to their homeland. This triggered the worst brain drain in Indonesian history. Suharto ruled for 32 years under his New Order regime, which was later accused of committing widespread corruption and human rights abuses. After his studies in Czechoslovakia, Rony became a pop singer in the 1970s. It only became possible for Rony to return to Indonesia after the downfall of Suharto in 1998. Juke Carolina from Global Voices Indonesia interviewed Rony who shared his journey from Asia to Europe and how he found fame in his adopted country. Global Voices (GV): Rony Marton (RM): Nama saya Jaroni Surjomartono, lahir di Kudus tahun 1943 tapi dari sejak balita hidup di Solo, Jawa Tengah. Setelah lulus SMA sempat kuliah di Universitas Gajah Mada (UGM) jurusan ekonomi perusahaan. Setelah kuliah di kampus UGM di Bulak Sumur Jogja, saya menulis permohonan ke PTIP (kementerian Perguruan Tinggi dan Ilmu Pengetahuan). Awalnya sebagai mahasiswa ke Jepang, namun ternyata program beasiswa ke sana sudah ditutup. Saya kemudian ikut ujian dan pelatihan selama dua bulan sebelum akhirnya menerima telegram bahwa saya memperoleh beasiswa ke Cekoslowakia. Rony Marton (RM): My name is Jaroni Surjomartono, I was born in Kudus in 1943 but grew up in Solo, Central Java since I was a toddler. After graduating from high school I went to Gajah Mada University (UGM) majoring in corporate economy. After attending studies at Bulak Sumur campus in Yogyakarta, I wrote an application to the Ministry of Higher Education and Science (PTIP), initially as a student to Japan, but the scholarship program ended. Later on I attended exam and training for two months before receiving a telegram which announced that I obtained a scholarship to Czechoslovakia in 1963. Rony Marton (front row, second from the left), photographed here with the Indonesian Student Association (PPI) alumni, active members of PPI Republic Czech chapter, and Yenny Wahid, politician and daughter of the late President Abdurrahman Wahid. Photo from Marton's private collection, used with his permission. RM:Together with about 35 Indonesian students, we attended a Czech language course for 10 months. Upon completion, we entered our chosen university respectively. I went to the University of Economics in Prague (Vysoká Škola Ekonomická VŠE). In 1965 I was elected chairman of the Czechoslovakia PPI – the Czechoslovakia chapter of Indonesian Student Association. Following the 30 September 1965 coup against President Sukarno by Colonel Suharto and his entourage, all PPI members had their passports revoked around mid-1966. The Indonesian Embassy in Prague didn’t extend expired passports. Around 100 out of 200 PPI students decided to leave our student association and joined the group established by the Indonesian embassy in Prague, which happened to be named PPI as well. Those who aligned themselves with the embassy had their passports reinstated. RM: The challenges we faced included requesting living permits for those who no longer had passports, arranging permits so that we could conclude our studies, and arranging student accommodations. Those were our three requests to the Czechoslovakian government. A few weeks later we got a very satisfying answer, which frankly, was above and beyond our hopes. First: our residential card was extended (even without a valid Indonesian passport) until our studies were completed. Our living permits in the student dormitory were also extended. Second: upon completion of our studies, we could choose to remain in Czechoslovakia, or move to another country (for those who wished to move, the Czechoslovakian government would arrange a travel document in accordance to the UN Law. In Czechoslovakia, we got protection as refugees under the auspices of the Czechoslovakia chapter of the International Red Cross). For those who wanted to settle in Czechoslovakia, they were granted a permanent residence permit. These conditions were very positive and enabled us the peace of mind to finish studying and go on with our lives. I personally feel indebted and grateful to the Czechoslovakian government at that time, who did not forget their historical tradition since the 1930s, when the Republic of Czechoslovakia gave asylum to Jewish citizens and all who rose up against the atrocities of Hitler’s Nazism in Germany.