zenn bites...

passabe.

a documentary on the aftermath of violence. on rebuilding, forgiving, and maybe, forgetting.

a remote village that lies on the border between east and west timor, passabe was home to pro-autonomy militiamen in the lead-up to east timor's vote for independence in august 1999. hundreds of these militiamen went on a rampage, attacking three neighbouring pro-independence villages, burning homes and looting livestock.

74 men died. tied together with rough ropes, hacked and/or shot to death, then buried...three or four in a hole, maybe more. a long stick marking their graves, with bits of rope tied at intervals to indicate how many bodies lie beneath.

through the film, hock and i followed alexio elu, a farmer and former militia member, who claims that he was forced to kill a man in the 1999 passabe massacre. we saw his confession, questioned his motives and joined him in the want for reconciliation amongst the villages in east and west timor.

we sat through the others' non-confessions, laughter that seemed to belittle the victims' experiences, and jokes that lightened up the atmosphere. we squirmed at the squeals made by the piglet when its throat was cut, watched in disbelief as they went through their annual reenactment of the violence (it's their way of remembering the lives lost), and awww-ed at the beauty & fragility of the children.

we took a look at real life, timor style.

the price of peace, the bargain for forgiveness. one buffalo and one strand of prayer beads, in exchange for one lost life. one can of beer and five dollars, in apology for beating him up.

something concrete, i guess, to help dim the pain. something substantial, that will be of use. a buffalo that can work the fields, instead of a murderer locked up in prison.

"he almost killed me 5 years ago. now, we're good friends".

forgive, if not forget. moving on. simple words with such complex meanings. forgiveness, and for things that are of such magnitudes too.

these villagers succeed, where i have so often failed.