The Look of Silence Page #4

That's politics.

politics is the process

of achieving one's ideals.

In various ways.

Right?

Since 1971, you've been

head of the legislature.

There may be hundreds

of thousands of victims here.

How do you do politics...

surrounded by the families

of people you killed??

It's like this...

If you want to talk politics...

if the victims' children didn't like me...

I would never get the most votes.

I'd never get re-elected.

This is proof:

I'm not arrogant.

You should never hurt people's feelings.

Make them feel better!

Visit them.

Formally or informally.

Don't you intimidate them

into voting for you?

Of course not.

I was born in February 1968.

And my brother was a victim...

...brutally murdered by your men.

Let me ask you something...

Do the victims' families...

...want the killings to happen again?

- Of course not.

- No? Then change!

If you keep making an issue

of the past,...

it will definitely happen again.

It will definitely happen again.

Sooner or later,

it will happen again.

"Aisyah went to..."

What's it say?...

"The canteen".

When she got home,

Aisyah ate lunch...

and took a nap.

- This is a long story.

- Aisyah went to the market.

She bought squid.

Oops, I farted.

How rude!

Keep reading.

It's about my fart.

- Where?

- Here.

It stinks!

Smells good, doesn't it?

This will be even worse!

How long haven't

you brushed...

...your teeth?

1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

One year.

It's been a year.

Let me see that, Aisyah.

If I knew you were going to meet...

...the killers...

I wouldn't have let you.

They...

could have kidnapped you...

Or had you killed and

dumped somewhere.

Didn't you think...

about your children?

If something bad happens to you,

what about us?

- Is uncle home?

- Yes.

- How are you?

- I'm fine.

Is uncle inside?

How are you, uncle?

- Are you well?

- Yes.

I came to check your eyes...

because you said

the were bothering you.

How is this?

More clear?

Not really, it's the same.

- Is it worse?

- No, the same.

- How old are you?

- 82.

what's the age difference with mom??

Not much.

- Were you living here in 1965?

- Yes.

That's when Ramli

was in prison here.

I was ordered...

To guard the prisoners.

Oh, you were a prison guard?

I didn't know...

what happened after

they took the prisoners away.

I was just a guard.

Did you see the prisoners

being taken away?

Of course!

Every time the truck came,

they took another 30.

When did you realize all the prisoners...

you guarded were killed?

When?

A Komando Akis member told me...

"Last night, while you were on duty,

we killed all those prisoners".

They threw the bodies

down old wells, in Snake River.

I found out from

members of Komando Aksi.

Couldn't you defend him?

Or ask them

not to kill your nephew?

No, I couldn't...

Komando Aksi...

was under army command...

and so was I.

I was ordered to guard

the prison, so I did.

But you don't feel...

...regret?

You guarded people

so they could be slaughtered.

You were part...

...of the killings.

You think I'm responsible?

I did it to defend the state,

so I don't feel that way.

The past is past.

I know it's the past,

but you don't feel regret?

If I refused, I'd be accused too.

Better just to follow orders.

The point is

I didn't kill anyone.

You know those prisoners

didn't do anything.

That means you helped

kill innocent people.

I did not help! I didn't take

a machete and slaughter people.

But you guarded them.

Yes! I was told they were bad people.

What's more,

they never pray!

In 1965, communists rushed

to the mosques...

because they were

afraid of being slaughtered.

Later, they stopped going.

Ask them yourself

if you don't believe me.

They pretend to be religious.

And you blame me!

How dare you!

Did you know your brother

guarded the prisoners?

No, I didn't know.

I went to see him.

I asked about it,

and he said he was a guard.

He never dared tell me.

- He never told you?

- No.

I said to him...

"Uncle, you indirectly helped

kill Ramli".

What did he say?

His excuse is that

he was defending the state.

Defending the state!

What nonsense.

Was he paid...

to help kill Ramli?

He also must have helped...

...take Ramli away.

He says he didn't know

Ramli was going to be killed.

He's lying!

Everybody there was involved.

I never knew about this.

I never knew.

I never knew!

Can you see?

Dad?

Open your eyes, dad.

See the light?

I think I see something.

I see very little.

I found out when I was

in junior high school...

People would say:

"Your father killed many communists".

I was proud my dad

exterminated communists.

My father is famous around here.

People respect him.

Once, I brought a woman's head

to a Chinese coffee shop.

The Chinese screamed.

- You brought a woman's head?

- Yes.

- To frighten the Chinese?

- Yes.

Why was that useful for you?

I threw it away.

No, he's asking what was the use

of frightening the Chinese?

- So they'd be scared.

- Just to scare them?

- Just to scare them.

- Then I threw it in the trash.

I kept killing them,

dumping the bodies in the river.

Their hands were tied behind

their backs.

I'd bring a glass.

Slit their throats.

Collect the blood.

There were many...

Did you do that to everyone?

No...

Two glasses was enough.

That's what we did

Where did you take the blood from?

From the throat, of course!

Pour it in a glass.

Slit their throats and collect it

in a glass.

Then drink it.

- Why did you do that?

- So I wouldn't go crazy.

Your father killed...

so many people.

And he drank their blood.

- How do you feel?

- I never knew this. It's terrifying.

That he drank blood...

Today's the first time you heard?

- How do you feel?

- What can I say?

I heard it just know. Sadistic.

Maybe because he drank it

he's still strong.

I never knew this before...

My story is...

My brother...

was killed too....

Back then...

It's getting late.

If your brother was killed,

please forgive my father.

None of his children knew.

We were very young.

I feel...

It's not your fault that

your father is a murderer.

Whatever he is,

he is your father.

- It's getting late!

- Be patient.

I feel I know you.

Have we met before?

At work?

I think I know you too.

We know each other now.

We're like family.

Your kids should go to the mosque.

Please forgive my father.

Think of us as family.

He's old now.

Consider him your own father.

When you pass by, please visit us.

I have no mother anymore.

I take care of him now.

He's senile.

He doesn't remember much.

He's old and senile.

I quit my job

to take care of him.

When visitors come,

he doesn't recognize them.

He can't even remember his family.

I take care of him now.

I have to go now.

Goodbye, sir.

Do you remember Ramli?

Do you remember?

Do you remember your dead son?

Do you remember?

- Who are you?

- It's me.

Do you remember your son Ramli?

- Who?

- Ramli. He was taken away.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes