'Teater Buruh' to continue suit against official

JAKARTA (JP): A labor theater group insisted yesterday in continuing its lawsuit against a City administration senior official for banning a play last month, although the official said that it is litigating the wrong person.

Teater Buruh Indonesia told the Jakarta State Administrative Court that Bagus Suharyono, chief of the City's Directorate of Social and Political Affairs, was the person responsible for the ban because he refused to issue his recommendation upon which the police permit for the performance hinged.

"Because of his refusal, the police did not issue the permit," Pardomuan Simanjuntak, the lawyer representing the theater group, said.

Pardomuan referred to a May 15 letter, number 360/078.6, addressed to the theater group and signed by Suharyono, which denied the group's application for his recommendation.

According to the letter, presented in court as evidence, Suharyono refused to give his recommendation for the play on the grounds that it could spark social unrest.

He also stated his objection to the use of the word buruh (labor) in the play's dialog because the term was used by the now outlawed Indonesian Communist Party.

The government has insisted on the use of the word pekerja (workers) instead of buruh.

In his letter, Suharyono also revoked letters of recommendation which the theater group had secured from the City Office of Cultural Affairs and the City Tourism Office.

Cancellation

The theater group is filing a lawsuit against Suharyono for his action that led to the cancellation of the play entitled Senandung Terpuruk dari Tembok Pabrik (Miserable Symphony from behind the Factory Walls) at Taman Ismail Marzuki last month.

The play describes the misery of highly exploited, low-paid Indonesian workers.

"We urge the court to revoke the letter and order the defendant to give the recommendation for the play's performance," Pardomuan said.

The lawyer contested the defendant's argument that the play could spark social unrest, and also questioned the legal basis of his objection to the use of the word buruh.

In his defense statement last week Suharyono said that the plaintiff was suing the wrong official because the final decision not to issue the permit for the play did not rest in his hand.

He said that the letter he signed was merely stating the result of a coordinating meeting with other government agencies on whether to give the necessary recommendation. (29)