Play on missing people

Play on missing people

JAKARTA (JP): A play highlighting human rights issues will be
staged at Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center in Central Jakarta to
mark the International Week of Disappeared Persons which falls on
Aug. 30.

Jointly held by the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims
of Violence (Kontras) and Indonesian Arts Association (PSI), the
play will be performed for three consecutive nights, from Aug. 6
to Aug. 8.

Titled Mengapa Kau Culik Anak Kami (Why Are You Kidnapping Our
Children), the play is the work of Seno Gumira Ajidarma and will
feature actors Niniek L. Karim and Landung Simatupang along with
former abduction victim Nezar Patria as guest star.

Activist Nezar was among 25 people abducted by unidentified
men beginning in April 1997. He was kidnapped by four men in
March, 1998 along with another activist, Aan, from the apartment
they shared. Nezar was found weeks later in Jakarta police
detention.

"The play is intended to build solidarity among relatives of
the victims and members of community coming from various
professions and backgrounds, while at the same time, providing
support for the association of missing persons' relatives who are
still fighting to locate the whereabouts of their loved ones", a
press release stated.

Funds raised from staging the play will be distributed to the
victims' families.

For more information, please contact Kontras (021) 3145940, or
Taman Ismail Marzuki (021) 334740 ext. 18.