Theater sues police over performance ban
Theater sues police over performance ban
JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta State Administrative Court began trying a case yesterday brought by a theater group against chief of the Kebayoran Baru police sub precinct, South Jakarta, over an alleged arbitrary ban of one of its shows.
Sanggar Pabrik (Factory Studio) theater group is asking the court to revoke the police decision issued on Sept. 15 last year and instruct the police to issue a stage permit for the Sanggar Pabrik.
The plaintiff is also seeking Rp 6.7 million compensation for material and other losses inflicted by the ban.
The group claimed that it had spent Rp 1.7 million on the rental fees for the building, sound system and operational costs. The other Rp 5 million compensation is for unquantifiable loses, including the frustration of the group's members.
Sanggar Pabrik has 45 members, who are all factory workers.
The group planned to stage a play entitled Surat Cinta untuk Marsinah (Lovely letter for Marsinah) at the auditorium of Bulungan Youth Center, South Jakarta on Sept. 16 last year.
Marsinah was a female worker in Sidoardjo, East Java who was murdered in May, 1993 after she led a demonstration for workers rights. Police have not yet found the murderer.
The group obtained a permit from the management of the youth center to use its auditorium on Aug. 21.
It also obtained a permit from the Kebayoran Baru police sub precinct on Aug. 22. However, the permit was withdrawn one day before the show.
The plaintiff's lawyer Luthfie Hakim said it was impossible for the group to obtain a stage permit in one day since city police needed recommendations from the city branch of the Ministry of Educational and Culture before issuing them.
The police also prohibited the members of the theater group from holding their other activities at the youth center, he added.
He said that the ban violated the right of expression among workers.
The ban caused frustration among members of the theater group who had trained for several months to prepare for their debut, the lawyer said.(29)