Alia's cry for peace

Alia's cry for peace

Alia was a rape victim. She fought for peace and justice for
her people and for her homeland in Aceh, but without taking up
arms. Now, the powers that be in Jakarta have decided to deprive
her of even a forum to convey the message of her struggle.

Alia, the title of a drama by playwright Ratna Sarumpaet, is
not quite a fictitious figure. She may be the focus of a play,
but she represents thousands of Acehnese women who have been the
victim of acts of injustices, and are craving for peace.

It is therefore lamentable that TVRI, the state-run television
network, has decided not to air Ratna's play, titled Alia, Luka
Serambi Mekah (Alia, Wound on Verandah of Mecca), reportedly
because of strong objections from the Indonesian Military (TNI).

By Tuesday morning, TVRI had not responded to the allegations
made by Ratna that its decision not to air the play -- originally
scheduled for Dec. 15 to mark International Human Rights Day --
came at the behest of the military, or because it was afraid that
it would offend the powers that be.

TNI has denied that it had any role in the decision, but its
spokesman Col. D.J. Nachrawi was quoted by The Jakarta Post on
Tuesday as saying that: "If TVRI canceled the play, maybe it was
due to the script itself -- does it (the script) make any
contribution to the government's efforts to create peace in the
province, or will it affect the current peace process?"

If Ratna's claim of TNI intervention was true, then TVRI's
decision not to air the play by Ratna's Satu Merah Panggung
Teater is yet another major setback for democracy.

The losers are not only the women and people of Aceh in whose
interest the play was trying to represent, but also the nation
because this means the return to censorship practices.

It takes us back to the recent bygone era where censorship was
the norm. And TNI was one of those state institutions with an
appalling record for curtailing the people's right to free
expression. No wonder many people had a sense of deja vu upon
hearing the news on Sunday that the play's airing had been
canceled.

We don't share with Nachrowi's claim that it might be best not
to air the show in support of the current peace process in Aceh.
Peace in Aceh will be better served if stories like Alia's, as
painful as they are to hear, are allowed to be told and discussed
freely. Hopefully, such discussions will lead to peace and
justice. Burying the truth, which is what those who oppose the
drama's broadcast on TV, are doing, only creates artificial
peace, which cannot be long lasting.

We hope that TVRI will reconsider its decision and air Ratna's
play. Alternatively, other TV stations should take up the
challenge. These TV stations owe this much to the people of Aceh,
and to the people of this country, and to democracy.

Ultimately, Alia's cry for peace and justice is ours too.