Yacinto Dacrus,Teacher’s Devotion in Border Zone

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

Yacinto Dacrus

Yacinto Dacrus, a former resident of East Timor, has for over 20 years opted to become a citizen of the Republic of Indonesia. He devotes himself to his career as a teacher but also imparts the diversity and riches of Indonesia. However, his fate is not as lustrous as his dedication.

The house with palm frond walls, natural floors and zinc roofs is about to collapse. Two wooden bars provide support for the decrepit house. The hut-like dwelling is sloping.

It’s where Yacinto, his wife, seven children and nephew live. The ten of them have to share the space in the building measuring only 5 meters by 7 meters and 160 centimeters high. On Thursday (13/8/2020), he came out of the house to meet Kompas. He wore flip-flops that were dragging dust into the air. Yacinto didn’t go to work that day because he was unwell.

Also read : Besiap, Empowering Children of the Rimba People

“I just sent material to school to be conveyed to the school principal so my students can study from home,” said the second grade teacher of Silawan State Primary School, Kenen Bibi village, around 50 kilometers from Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara.

During the epidemic, face-to-face teaching and learning activities cannot be carried out. Sadly, the majority of students and teachers are also having a hard time because they don’t possess cell phones or data packages. Yacinto himself has neither.

Yacinto has lived in Silawan, the Indonesia-Timor Leste border, since 1983. He originally worked as an administration chief. Later, after finishing a teachers’ training course, he entered the teaching profession in 1995. When East Timor separated from Indonesia and became an independent state named Timor Leste in 2002 following a referendum in 1999, Yacinto chose to remain an Indonesian citizen. He has carried on his devotion as a teacher in Silawan.

Also read : Vita Krisnadewi, Determination to Assist Millennial Farmers

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

Yacinto Dacrus

As a teacher, he not only teaches curriculum based lessons but also actively imparts the diverse aspects of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) to his students in the border region. He elaborates on the state philosophy Pancasila, the country’s Garuda (Eagle) coat of arms, the ethnic, cultural and religious pluralism in Indonesia.

“You can ask the children in this border area about the five principles of Pancasila, they’ve memorized the ideologies. The same is true of the symbolic shield and the preamble of the 1945 Constitution. They are familiar with the ethnic groups of Aceh, Papua, Sunda, Java, Kalimantan, Sumatra and others,” said Yacinto, who tirelessly emphasizes the importance of loving the NKRI to his students.

He added that most children of ex-East Timor, residents of Silawan and Matoain, were only acquainted with the ethnic groups in West Timor like Kemak, Bunak, Tetun, Dawan and Portuguese Tetun. By introducing them to the other ethnic groups, his students become aware that they live in a vast country with a considerably pluralist population.

You can ask the children in this border area about the five principles of Pancasila, they’ve memorized the ideologies.

The knowledge of Indonesia they have gained, according to Yacinto, has made his students respect differences and love the NKRI even more. A gesture of their love for the NKRI, for instance, was demonstrated by Yohanes Andi Gala aka Johny Gala, a Silawan State Junior High School student, who emerged as an overnight celebrity after climbing a flag pole to fix the cord that tangled up the national colors during the celebration of the 73rd National Independence anniversary in Silawan in 2018.

In Yacinto’s view, the younger generation in the border zone should not just be given theoretical knowledge. The concrete way of border living should also be understood, experienced and practiced. On every August 17, for example, they are aware of the need to fly the national flag in their homes, be involved in social activity and celebrate the independence anniversary together.

In the Indonesia-Timor Leste border, teachers play a vital role in inculcating Indonesian consciousness and nationalism in the younger generation. The same role is assumed by members of the Indonesian Military and National Police assigned to the border region.

Also read : Dwi Yulianto, The Winding Path of a Young Entrepreneur

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

The Motaain-Timor Leste State Border Post, is located on the edge of Silawan Village, bordering the state of Timor Leste. This village will develop a number of potentials for agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry, and the furniture industry.

Comfortable

Yacinto claims to feel comfortable with NKRI citizenship. He has the job of teaching at a state-run school although his income is barely enough to support his family. Therefore, none of Yacinto’s children can attend college education due to financial difficulty.

As most ex-East Timor residents, Yacinto strives hard to sustain his family’s life. In his 20 years of being part of the NKRI, he has only been able to buy a plot of land on the side of the Matoain-Oecussi highway to build a plain house.

The plot occupied by Yacinto was previously used by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to set up a tent to accommodate ex-East Timor refugees in 1999-2002. The tent was later converted into a dwelling place with three bedrooms built from palm stems and fronds with earth floors and zinc roofs.

Also read : Naomi Selan, Compassion for Street Children

Apart from that, Yacinto has no other plot to cultivate as farmland. A number of ex-East Timor residents owning farmland to grow crops live in a better state of welfare than those without land for crop planting.

“Joining the NKRI without land to till turns out to be a big problem for us. If the government offers an option to participate in migration to another province, I’m ready to follow. Along with some ex-East Timor peers I want to own land for cultivation to improve our livelihood,” said Yacinto, claiming to be disinclined to visit Timor Leste to see relatives there.

In spite of his modest life, Yacinto still feels grateful to remain under NKRI protection. At least he feels peaceful and free from any threat of violence. “It’s more important than abundant wealth,” he said.

Yacinto Dacrus

Born: Maubara, East Timor, 2 May 1962

Wife: Maria Aurora Alfonsa Brites

Children: Seven

Education: Diploma, PGSD Open University, 2003