Artists issue statement of concern

Artists issue statement of concern

JAKARTA (JP): A group of Indonesian artists and intellectuals
expressed concern yesterday at the political control of artistic
expression and other aspects of life.

They read out their statement during a press briefing at a
canteen in the Taman Ismail Marzuki art center. The statement was
issued as part of a gathering to mark the anniversary of the
decision by the government of president Sukarno on May 8, 1964,
to undertake a purge of writers and artists whose views did not
conform with those in power at the time.

Writers and artists signed the Cultural Manifesto in August
1963, criticizing the restrictions against their works imposed by
the Sukarno government, which was influenced by the Indonesian
Communist Party. Following the decision, the signatories of the
manifesto were harassed and their works banned. Many of them also
lost their jobs.

Yesterday, two of the survivors of the manifesto aftermath --
Arief Budiman and Goenawan Mohamad -- along with Emha Ainun
Nadjib and W.S. Rendra initiated the issuance of the "May
Statement" to express their concern at the current political
conditions.

"This is an appeal to everyone that we should learn from the
event that occurred more than 30 years ago -- something which we
do not want repeated," the May Statement says.

By last night, the document had collected many more signatures
than those of the five initiators. One of the signatures was that
of noted literary critic H.B. Jassin, who also signed the 1963
manifesto. Signatories also included A.A. Navis, Ariel Heryanto,
Arifin C. Noer, Garin Nugroho, Leila Ch. Budiman, Mahbub Junaedi,
Nirwan Dewanto, Ratna Sarumpet, Satyagraha Hoerip and Subagyo
Sastrowardojo.

The intellectuals and artists said they rejected the principle
of "politics as the commandant" that was applied in the 1960s to
justify sweeping aside anyone who did not conform with the views
of those in power.

"History shows that this principle obstructs and eliminates
the artistic and intellectual sources that should develop in a
nation. In the Soviet Union, when the Communist Party was in
power, artists, intellectuals and journalists were silenced, or
forced to abide by principles that went against the conscience."

The 1964 decision to outlaw the manifesto signified the
nation's loss of tolerance towards differences of views, the
statement says.

"We have come a long way since then," Goenawan Mohamad, a
prolific writer and founding editor of the outlawed Tempo
magazine, said at the press conference. "But we still have the
same attitude of intolerance."

The statement also said: "Court decisions too often became
subservient to the interests of those in power; economic policies
still serve the interests of those in the bureaucracy; cultural
life is scrutinized; literary works of some of Indonesia's
leading authors are banned; and worse still is the condition of
the Indonesian press."

A discussion to mark the 31st anniversary of the banning of
the Cultural Manifesto was held later in the evening at the H.B.
Jassin Documentation Building at Taman Ismail Marzuki.

Emha said the event, organized by the Gorong-gorong Budaya
group, was born out of concern over recent developments which he
said "have gone too far".

He cited the government's plan to prosecute soothsayer Permadi
Satrio Wiwoho and legislator Sri Bintang Pamungkas as two
examples.

"They are dangerous precedents," he added. (anr/emb)