Marsinah still controversial, even in art

Marsinah still controversial, even in art

By A. Wisnuhardana

YOGYAKARTA (JP): For a state with a coercive apparatus,
Marsinah, a worker who died a few years ago because she had
fought for her rights, has remained a "pebble in its boot".

However small, it is a sharp pebble that keeps prodding the
foot.

During her life, Marsinah was a fighter for herself and her
colleagues, poor workers in a stifling factory. In the
"Gramscian" perspective, she could be categorized as an organic
intellectual who fought for workers' rights when confronted with
unfair business owners.

After her murder, Marsinah continued to be a bothersome
pebble. The failure to bring anybody to justice for her murder
has seriously tarnished the credibility of the Indonesian justice
system. Marsinah's story has given a human pulse to those who
still hope for justice in this country. Her life and death have
been portrayed through poetry, painting, music and theater. Her
case has also become a topic of discussion and debate among human
rights activists.

The pebble continues to aggravate the foot even today because
Marsinah is still being stepped on.

Ratna Sarumpaet, the head of Teater Satu Merah Panggung, tried
some time ago to stage a theater portrayal of Marsinah's labor
activism in a play Marsinah Accuses. The performance took place
in several cities. Unfortunately, security officers forced the
cancellation of performances scheduled in Bandung and Surabaya,
sparking protests and criticism from art activists and the
public. Police justified the ban of the play by saying that the
performers had not acquired a permit for the event.

The banning of the play deserves serious attention. If the
show could be staged without a permit in some cities, why was it
banned in others? Furthermore, a 1995 decision by the chief of
police -- stating that cultural and artistic activities did not
require a permit -- has yet to be revoked.

The ban indicates police in different jurisdictions tend to
act on their own interpretation of the law, and that politically
powerful people can manipulate the implementation of the law.

In the case of the ban, Marsinah became again a pebble that
rubbed the feet of certain power holders.

Marsinah was a figure of opposition and at the same time, a
symbol of resistance against each act of injustice committed by
the powerful.

The ban itself is now being sharply attacked by various sides
for two reasons. First, it created a bad precedent for
legitimizing the actions of power holders who prohibited the
performance only because it was against their interests. Second,
the ban has proven that the portrayal of such a human story is
deemed as politically threatening.

Have we, as a nation, forgotten how to give and take
constructive interpretations of events and criticism? Have we
forgotten how we should laugh at ourselves, how we should convey
facts as facts or how we should fairly implement regulations and
laws? Should constructive criticism be viewed as insulting and
result in punishment or penalization?

Repressive measures against forms of expression are
counterproductive in a nation where the government aims to
fulfill the aspirations of the people. The more so if each
repressive measure is not based on law. When repressive measures
become increasingly intensified, the result does not create
political obedience. It causes increasing resistance.

Expressions of resistance can take various forms. However, if
repression is too exacting, it can result in explosions of
violence on a small or widespread scale. Others vent their
feelings through apathy and skepticism toward political decisions
and policies made by political authorities.

It is clear that the closed-room performance of Marsinah
Accuses was interpreted as a threat to certain power holders and
to political stability.

But because appreciation of artistic expression is an
individual matter, there is no reason to believe that such a
stage performance would have resulted in political upheaval or
violence. The arbitrary ban of the play, however, may give rise
to unexpected manifestations of anger.

Because one of the objectives of the expression of art and
culture is to bring about catharsis; plugging the road to
catharsis could give rise to further problems.

A. Wisnuhardana is a researcher at the Humaniora Social
Studies Forum and lives in Yogyakarta.