'Teater Buruh' to continue suit against official

'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)