Marsinah honored in monolog

Marsinah honored in monolog

JAKARTA (JP): Ratna Sarumpaet, the head of Satu Merah Panggung
theater group, is paying tribute to slain labor activist Marsinah
in a monolog and new book.

She will perform Marsinah Menggugat (Marsinah Accuses) at
Taman Ismail Marzuki on Oct. 28. The show is held in conjunction
with the publication of Ratna's book, Marsinah, Nyanyian Dari
Bawah Tanah (Marsinah, Voice from the Underworld).

"This is my tribute to labor activist Marsinah, who paid with
her life and innocence. The show is primarily about voices that
could never be heard," Ratna said Thursday.

The 45-minute monolog will be staged in 11 cities in Java and
Sumatra to mark the 27th anniversary of the Indonesian Legal Aid
Institute Foundation (YLBHI), the sponsor of the show.

The first staging of the play in September 1994 was based on
the unpublished manuscript of Marsinah, Nyanian dari Bawah Tanah.

Marsinah was found raped and murdered on May. 8, 1993, in the
East Java town of Sidoardjo, 25 kilometers from Surabaya.

She had been missing for three days after leading a protest
against coerced resignation of 13 of her colleagues at a watch-
making company in the town.

Ratna said the voices of Indonesian people were still unheard
despite 52 years of independence. "I want to let people know that
the human rights spirit and fight are still on." (02)