Drama will not cause any unrest: Playwright
<p>Drama will not cause any unrest: Playwright</p><p> JAKARTA (JP): An expert witness, testifying in a lawsuit filed
by a theater group, dismissed as groundless yesterday earlier
statements by the head of a city directorate that the performance
of a play which the group had planned to perform could have
sparked social unrest.</p><p>The Teater Buruh Indonesia (Indonesian Workers Theater Group)
is suing Bagus Suharyono, head of the City Directorate of Social
and Political Affairs, whom they accuse of banning their planned
performance of a play in Jakarta last May.</p><p>In yesterday's trial session the group called two witnesses:
Rosty Munthe, the playwright of Senandung Terpuruk dari Balik
Tembok Pabrik (Miserable Symphony from behind the Factory Walls),
the play at the center of the lawsuit, and Yopi Tambayong, better
known as Remy Silado, a literary critic and actor.</p><p>Rosty said that Bagus' refusal to issue a letter of
recommendation for the performance of the play on the ground that
the play could spark social unrest was without factual
foundation. "The group has performed the play twice previously in
other places without any problem," she told presiding judge
Benyamin Mangkoedilaga at the Jakarta State Administrative Court.</p><p>"There is no prohibition against the use of the word buruh
(worker) because it is still being used in some provisions in our
laws," she added, referring to Bagus' objection to the use of the
word.</p><p>In his letter number 360/078.6, Bagus acknowledged that he had
refused to issue the necessary letter of recommendation unless
the organizers changed the name of the group as well as the title
and the plot of the play. He also stated that letters of
recommendation issued by the City Office of Cultural Affairs and
the City Tourism Office were no longer valid.</p><p>Bagus reportedly said that his objection to the play's being
performed was based on his view that it could spark social unrest
and that the word buruh, used in some of the play's dialog as
well as in the name of the group, was unacceptable because it had
been used by the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party.</p><p>The play deals with the plight of highly exploited and poorly
paid Indonesian workers, particularly those employed in
factories.</p><p>Rosty, who is also an advisor to the group, said that she knew
the organizers of the performance had applied for a permit to the
relevant agencies. She said that the organizers had obtained
letters of recommendation from the City Office of Cultural
Affairs and the City Tourism Office.</p><p>The two letters of recommendation, together with one from the
City Directorate of Social and Political Affairs, were required
by the police before they would issue a permit.</p><p>"However, the City Directorate of Social and Political Affairs
declined to issue such a recommendation letter and even revoked
the letters of recommendation from the City Tourism Office and
the City Office of Cultural Affairs," Rosty said.(29)</p>
by a theater group, dismissed as groundless yesterday earlier
statements by the head of a city directorate that the performance
of a play which the group had planned to perform could have
sparked social unrest.</p><p>The Teater Buruh Indonesia (Indonesian Workers Theater Group)
is suing Bagus Suharyono, head of the City Directorate of Social
and Political Affairs, whom they accuse of banning their planned
performance of a play in Jakarta last May.</p><p>In yesterday's trial session the group called two witnesses:
Rosty Munthe, the playwright of Senandung Terpuruk dari Balik
Tembok Pabrik (Miserable Symphony from behind the Factory Walls),
the play at the center of the lawsuit, and Yopi Tambayong, better
known as Remy Silado, a literary critic and actor.</p><p>Rosty said that Bagus' refusal to issue a letter of
recommendation for the performance of the play on the ground that
the play could spark social unrest was without factual
foundation. "The group has performed the play twice previously in
other places without any problem," she told presiding judge
Benyamin Mangkoedilaga at the Jakarta State Administrative Court.</p><p>"There is no prohibition against the use of the word buruh
(worker) because it is still being used in some provisions in our
laws," she added, referring to Bagus' objection to the use of the
word.</p><p>In his letter number 360/078.6, Bagus acknowledged that he had
refused to issue the necessary letter of recommendation unless
the organizers changed the name of the group as well as the title
and the plot of the play. He also stated that letters of
recommendation issued by the City Office of Cultural Affairs and
the City Tourism Office were no longer valid.</p><p>Bagus reportedly said that his objection to the play's being
performed was based on his view that it could spark social unrest
and that the word buruh, used in some of the play's dialog as
well as in the name of the group, was unacceptable because it had
been used by the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party.</p><p>The play deals with the plight of highly exploited and poorly
paid Indonesian workers, particularly those employed in
factories.</p><p>Rosty, who is also an advisor to the group, said that she knew
the organizers of the performance had applied for a permit to the
relevant agencies. She said that the organizers had obtained
letters of recommendation from the City Office of Cultural
Affairs and the City Tourism Office.</p><p>The two letters of recommendation, together with one from the
City Directorate of Social and Political Affairs, were required
by the police before they would issue a permit.</p><p>"However, the City Directorate of Social and Political Affairs
declined to issue such a recommendation letter and even revoked
the letters of recommendation from the City Tourism Office and
the City Office of Cultural Affairs," Rosty said.(29)</p>