Did Not Ban 'Pig Party' Screening, Yusril Notes Film Title and Colonial Terminology

Surabaya — The Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Security, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, has again stressed that the government never instructed local authorities to disperse or ban a public screening and discussion of the documentary Pesta Babi. He made the remarks at Surabaya State University (Unesa) on Tuesday.

‘The government has never given any directions to local authorities to take action to disperse or prohibit students or members of the public,’ he said.

Yusril stated that the government continues to respect the freedom of creativity and expression of artists through the film. According to him, the critiques presented in the film, which is set against a case in Papua, are seen as constructive input for the government in carrying out evaluations, including regarding environmental impact and the rights of local communities.

‘The government views positively that there are constructive criticisms conveyed in the documentary, and this also gives the government something to use when making assessments,’ he said.

He acknowledged that the national ‘cetak sawah’ programme since 2022 could bias fieldwork, including potential conflicts of interest among residents and issues of forest conservation in southern Papua.

Yusril also argued that the film’s title elicits prejudices in several regions due to cultural differences among communities.

According to him, the term ‘pesta babi’ is a routine Papua expression to describe a large celebration.

View this post on Instagram