Marsinah play banned in Lampung

BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: A play about slain labor activist Marsinah has again been banned, with police announcing yesterday that the show scheduled to go on the Cultural Park here this evening cannot go ahead.

Antara quoted the head of the Intelligence directorate of the Lampung police, Lt. Col. Tri Mulyo, as saying that the decision to prohibit the play was made at a joint meeting of relevant security bodies.

"So it isn't just a police ban, the decision was taken together with the Coordinating Agency for National Stability and Security," he said.

When asked why it was banned Tri Mulyo simply replied, "I believe that it (the reason) is about the same as in Surabaya and Bandung."

Although performances of playwright Ratna Sarumpaet's monologue drama were allowed in Jakarta and also last week in Padang, West Sumatra, they have been banned in Surabaya, East Java, and Bandung, West Java. (mds)