Haloo ;D
Apakabar? 
Kali ini aku akan cerita tentang topik yang cukup penting
Tentang pesan dari sebuah negara yang saat ini sedang dilanda konflik hebat yaitu Republik Arab Suriah.

Jadi Selasa,22 April 2014 kemarin, Alhamdulillah aku dapet kesempatan interview sama Ambassador Dr. Basham Alkhatib 
Ini kali kedua aku berkunjung ke kedubes (pertama ke Kedubes AS). Aku kesana bareng Rama. Kesan pertama waktu menginjakan kaki disana: "heem kedubesnya berbentuk rumah gak seperti kedubes AS yang berbentuk gedung besar". Kedua setelah mendapat izin masuk dari staf keamanan aku mulai mengamati sekeliling, pertama yang kuliat adalah mobil dinasnya yang sederhana. Rata-rata dubes yang pernah kujumpai punya mobil dinas yang bagus, sedan mewah dan sebangsanya. Namun Dubes Suriah mobil dinasnya hanya sejenis Rush dan Innova (klo tidak salah). Kesan kedua yang kutangkap adalah Mr. Ambassador Basham ini pastilah orang yang sederhana. 

Kesan ketiga saat aku telah dipersilahkan masuk, pemandangan pertama adalah foto Presiden Bashar Al Assad. Aku sempat agak terkejut karena di foto itu Presiden Assad terlihat ganteng haha ;p biasanya kan yang diperlihatkan media ngeri-ngeri sedap gitu ;p

Kesan keempat, aku diajak berbincang sejenak dengan ibu sekretaris yang sebelum aku datang terkesan jutek tapi saat aku datang ternyata ramah. Mungkin karena aku dan Rama datang setengah jam lebih cepat dari waktu perjanjian serta membawa surat pengantar dari kampus. Kami juga sempat disapa oleh beberapa staf yang lewat diruang tunggu "assalammualaikum" dengan ramahnya dan tentu kami jawab "walaikumussalam"

Kami tak perlu menunggu lama karena ternyata Mr. Basham sudah datang lebih awal dan siap menerima kami di ruang kerjanya. Saat ibu sekretaris mengantarkan kami dan kami masuk kedalam kantornya, semua pesan ini dimulai.

"assalammualaikum Mr. Basham", kata kami
"walaikumussalam, ahlan wa sahlan brothers. How are you" kata Mr. Basham. 
demi mendengar keramahan beliau, kegugupan yang aku rasakan saat tiba di Kedubes mulai berkurang, walaupun masih gugup banget. Beliau mempersilahkan kami duduk
"What do you want to drink?" tanya Mr. Bassam
"Its up to you Sir, just water its okay" jawab Rama
"No, you cant drink just water ini here. Hehe. you should try Syrian Coffee or Tea" kata Mr. Basham sambil tersenyum 
"Coffee is better sir" jawab kami sambil tersenyum
"Sure, less sugar or regular?"
"Less sugar sir, thankyou" jawab Rama *malu-malu seneng bisa nyobain Syrian Coffee untuk pertama kalinya ;p 

Kopi Suriah ternyata beda rasanya sama kopi yang biasa kita minum. Terasa banyak rempah disana. Dulu saya pernah mencoba kopi Mesir. Nah rasa Kopi Suriah ini mirip dengan kopi Mesir. Jadi kalo kamu pengen nyobain juga, bisa nyobain kopi mesir yang lebih mudah didapetin. 

Setelah Rama memulai perkenalan diri kami, dan beliau pun memperkenalkan diri. Ternyata Mr. Basham mendapatkan gelar doktor dari UIN Jakarta juga #uhuy!. "so we are from same collage" katanya
Lalu beliau bertanya
"what can I do for you"
"First i want to you to know that our pray belongs to your country. May Allah gives you strength and patience through the sad day" kataku 
"Amin. Thank you. Dont worry the storm will be passed because we always believe in Allah SWT" jawabnya sambil tersenyum dan memegang dadanya. sebuah gesture yang memprlihatkan bahwa jawabannya barusan berasal dari hatinya.

lalu saya mulai menceritakan tentang skripsi saya mengenai Diplomasi AS dalam konflik Israel Suriah.       

"Sir related to my thesis, I want to know how is the economic, social and political conditions in Golan Heights?" 

"The details answer about your question could you find in journal or i will sent you later by email".
"The main thing i want to say to you is you should have a correct and realistic view to understanding this issues".

Talking about the Golan Heights, it cannot be separated with the others Israeli occupied territory such as: Palestine and Lebanon". Israel occupying those territory after 1967 war and it's contrary to UN charter.  
    
Golan Heights is our territory, the Golan tree is belongs to Syrian, The Golan water is belong to Syrian and the Golan People is Syrian. So we will do everything to take it back. The Israeli only takes an advantage from Golan natural resources and they don't stop to build settlement and nothing US can do to stop it because Israel is their ally". Kata beliau dengan berapi-api namun tetap tenang.
        
"So what is the US role to resolve that?" tanyaku.

"The US do nothing to resolve that", kata beliau

"How about 2003 peace map and Annapolis Confrence?", selidiku masih penasaran karena di jurnal2 yang kubaca AS sangat berperan.

"Yes, US held that, but the main purpose is not for creating everlasting peace in middle east. But only for US interest. You know what, in 2007 US Secretary of State Colin Powell meet my president and he says "i can help you to take Syrian territory back, but you should agree with US invasion in Iraq and you should end your relationship with Iran, then you're also should help us to combat terrorist in the region". After hearing that, my president decided to walk out from that meeting.

"From 1991 Madrid Conference until now we always stand for not only to taking back our territory but also to support Palestine and Lebanon to obtain their right. What do you see from implementation of US peace conference for middle east? Israel still continued settlement construction, Palestinian still haven't a sovereign state, Iraq situation remains poorly and the conflict still go on so the innocent people still become a victim. right?

Aku menganggukan kepala dengan sedih. "Why is it always like that sir?"

"Because, like i said before, US only seeking for their interest. If their interest is diplomacy, so they'll do diplomacy and if their interest is war, so they'll do war".

"How about the incentive sir? Is US gives an incentive to Syria to join in peace conference?" kali ini Rama yang bertanya.

"Yes a little incentives but every incentives have a consequences and the consequences is always related to their interest". jawab beliau 

Saya kicep denger jawaban beliau karena jawaban beliau sangat berbeda dengan yang saya baca di jurnal-jurnal. Jika AS dirasa tidak berperan maka bagaimana saya harus melanjutkan skripsi saya? Apa yang akan saya tulis? Apalagi fokus saya adalah diplomasi yang erat kaitannya dengan perdamaian bukan national interest atau power ;(

Akhirnya saya memberanikan diri untuk jujur
"To be honest, im feeling shocked sir. Your answer is so different with some journal which i read. Maybe because of most journal is written by Israeli or US scholars. Maybe you can help me to get Syrian journal so I can write a honest thesis depend on reality which you explained before?" kataku

Mendengar kejujuranku Mr. Basham tertawa

"yes thats our problem. Not only for Syrian scholars but also for Indonesian and muslim country scholars. We lack of resources because of scholars less productivity and didn't translate their journal into English. There are many Syrian journal which explained about your question but most of it written in Arabic. You cant read arabic right?" kata beliau sambil ngeledek

aku menggeleng sambil tertawa
  
"So as an academic (not as politician) i will give you advice. You can change term diplomacy into strategy. So you wont be confused to explain my information (which is more suitable with reality than what you read in journal) in your thesis."
     
"Thank you sir, i will do it. my next question is how about your opinion about bush diplomacy in Syria after 9/11 and after Iraq war?"

"If you talk about US, you don't talk about leader characteristic but you talk about US system. So i think there is no big differences between Bush Jr or Bush Sr or the others US president. The president is always follow US pattern. I give you examples in Indonesian case. Btw, i love this country (Indonesia) so as a young generation you should understand about US pattern.
Did you remember that in early President Suharto period, US support him? But in the end US taking their support. Then they send George Soros to shaking Indonesian economy. Its because US want to change the shape of Indonesia. After that your country enter the reformation era right? Thats also US work in our country and also Sudan. You know, Sudan have a same potency as Indonesia. Nowadays Sudan is divided into two. So please be aware with your country. You know US developing military bases in Darwin, right? Why is in Darwin?

"because that's the nearest distance from Indonesia Sir", jawab Rama

"exactly. and if you remember about Huntington theory in 1993 the titled is The Clash of Civilization, wheres it will be start form? tanya beliau

"Indonesia, Sir? ", jawabku

"Good. according to Huntington Theory it will be happen starting from Indonesia until Marocco"

*aku dan Rama makin kicep* 
"Now i feel more depressed sir" kataku sambil ketawa sedih dan menyeruput kopi

"Sorry to make you feel that. Because you should to know the reality. And you should learn to be honest scholars. Lets back to your topic" kata beliau

"yes we will Sir, thank you to remembering us", kataku dengan bersemangat.

"My next question: in some President Bush speech, he mentioned Syria as a part of axis of evil by supporting Hezbullah in creating terror. The true mission behind that was to improve the bargaining position of the Golan Heights issues, so there has been agenda in any peace talks that the US held. What's your opinion?"

"Who is the real terrorist in here? who's been stealing the others country natural resources, who's been occupying the others country territory, who's attacking Palestinian, who's been never stop to fulfill their interest? That's the real terrorist i think" jawabnya

"yes im agree sir. my next question is in 2005, the US embargoed Syrian because allegedly participating in the killing of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. After that US - Syrian relation was stretchable. Whats your opinion about that?"

"theres cool fact about that news. With the God permission, the sons of AlHariri, his name is Saad Hariri declare that Syria are not involved in his father assassination. So its more than enough to clear that news". jawab beliau.

"Subhanallah. My last question sir, What is the solution to resolve Israel - Syrian Conflict?"

"First from governmental level, our stands is always clear. We accepted normalization with Israel if they gives back our territory included Lebanon dan Palestine territory according to the 1967 international border. Second we should have New civilization and cultural project which needed cooperation with the others Arab and Muslim Country including Indonesia."

"yes im understand sir. my final last question sir hehehe ;p whats is your hope for US to resolve this conflict?"

"we dont hope to US. We only hope to God. Because Allah who has everything. And we only can hope to the other Arab or Muslim country like Indonesia"

"I see sir. Thank you so much for your great answer, we're feel enlightened. May Allah always protect you and your country sir. Kata kami setengah berdoa

"aamin. Insya Allah you are very welcome. may Allah protect Indonesia too. you know before the crisis my country is a peaceful country, in many decades Syria is the place where different religious growing and living together in harmony. Islam spread throughout the world from Syria, Christian is also spread throughout the Europe from Syria. Education (until Phd) and health service are free. The groceries are cheap, so there is no problem to caused crisis. 
As a dynamic state, yes we need a change . But the change must derived from our self, not from the others country. But it just a matter of time until the crisis's over. Because we wont never loose our identity. Although the media (caused in mass media theory we defined as receiver nation) control our eye, ears and mouth, but we must keep our mind and heart to the honest thing. Just believe in Allah and everything will gonna be okay". kata beliau sebagai final statement dalam menutup interview kami.

"Aaamiin aaaamiin Ya Allah" jawab kami dengan haru.

Subhanallah banget Bapak ini, udah cerdas, ramah, bijak, ganteng banget pula hahaha ;p saya gak abis pikir, beliau masih bisa sekuat itu, bahkan dalam beberapa pembicaraan (yg tidak saya ceritakan disini) beliau sangat memikirkan Indonesia, padahal negerinya nun jauh disana sedang porak poranda ;( beliau sering mengulang-ngulang kata you are my brothers dan i love this country atau its okay if i called Indonesia as our coutry right? dan beliau juga bilang Indonesia adalah negeri yang aplikasi keberagamaan sekaligus keragamaan terbaik di dunia.  

dan itulah pesan dari beliau. Silahkan para pembaca simpulkan sendiri
Apa yang harus kita lakukan selanjutnya sesuai dengan domain kita masing-masing? ;)

Long Live Syria!
dan Selamat berjuang untuk kita semua!