Police forbid workers' play<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Teater Sanggar Pabrik, a theater run by workers,
\nfailed to obtain a permit to perform its play entitled Surat
\nCinta untuk Marsinah (A love letter for Marsinah) at the Bulungan
\nStudio in South Jakarta on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\"We received a letter of notification, signed by chief of the
\nKebon Baru Police precinct Capt. Hadi Sutedjo, on Friday night,\"
\nM. Lutfi Hakim, one of the actors, was quoted by the Kompas daily
\nas saying.<\/p>\n
He said that they were working on the set inside the studio
\nwhen police officers came in and delivered the notification.<\/p>\n
\"The police said that we have to obtain a permit from the City
\npolice headquarters since the play would take place in South
\nJakarta, while our office is in Utan Kayu, East Jakarta,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Lutfi said that the theater would lose some Rp 2 million
\n(US$883.00) because of its failure to stage the play.<\/p>\n
He said that the theater had earlier obtained a permit, dated
\nAug. 22, signed by deputy chief of the Kebon Baru police precinct
\nCapt. D.J. Situmorang.<\/p>\n
Chief spokesman of the City Police Lt. Col. Bambang Permantoro
\ndeclined to comment when reporters asked him for confirmation
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
\"I still have to study the case,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hendardi, director for Communication and Special Programs of
\nthe Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, criticized the police in
\nbanning the performance.<\/p>\n
\"It is against the spirit of abolishing the permit policy,
\nwhich has been declared by the government,\" he said in a press
\nrelease yesterday, a copy of which was made available to The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman declared last month that the
\ngovernment would abolish the permit requirements for virtually
\nall kinds of gatherings by the end of the year.<\/p>\n
He said essentially non-political gatherings, such as
\nreligious, social and cultural meetings, will be freed from the
\nrequirement that organizers of such events need to obtain permits
\nfrom the authorities, while for demonstrations and other
\nactivities in the streets, which could disturb public order,
\nofficial permits will still be required.<\/p>\n
Under the current policy, organizers have to go through at
\nleast three different government agencies in order to obtain
\npermission to hold a gathering.<\/p>\n
The policy, which has been applied to all kinds of activities,
\nis based on Article 510 of the Criminal Code, which stipulates
\nthat people holding a public party or a parade on a public street
\nmust seek permission from the police.(imn\/01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-forbid-workers-play-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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