TNI blamed for Aceh play ban

JAKARTA: Playwright Ratna Sarumpaet blamed the Indonesian Military (TNI) for the ban on her play that lampoons injustices in Aceh, which was scheduled to air on state-owned television station TVRI on Sunday.

She alleged that TNI's information office had asked TVRI not to broadcast the play entitled Alia, Luka Serambi Mekah (Alia, Wound on Veranda of Mecca).

Ratna did not elaborate on her accusation during a media conference addressing the cancellation on Saturday.

"With the ban, we are directed to the regime of Soeharto, where the military was powerful and democracy was dying," Ratna said.

Pram, spokesman of Teater Satu Merah Panggung, which was supposed to stage the performance, said TVRI had broken the contract by not airing the play.

"The abrupt cancellation is odd," he said.

The theater was considering taking legal action against the state TV station in light of the ban.

"The play is about Alia, the daughter of Acehnese figure Cut Nyak. A rape victim of the conflict in Aceh, Alia stands for a nonviolent 'moral rebellion'." --JP