Butet Kertaredjasa Explains Intimidation During Theater Management In Jakarta

Artist Butet Kertaredjasa (left) at the University of August 17, 1945, Surabaya, Wednesday (6/12/2023). (ANTARA/WillI Irawan)

SuRABAYA - Butet Artist Kertaredjasa explained the intimidation she experienced while holding a theater stage at Taman Ismail Marzuki Jakarta some time ago.

"Two days ago I tasted an event, because many asked about the chronology of what happened in the intimidation of my art performances, at Taman Ismail Marzuki Jakarta on November 1 and 2," Butet said at the University of August 17, 1945, Surabaya, as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, December 6.

Butet said the police forbade him to display material about politics in his event which means that the art material is regulated by power outside of him.

"I lost my independence to articulate my thoughts, I was hampered by freedom of expression, even though the Constitution, as stated by the Director General of Culture, the mandate of the cultural congress clearly states freedom of expression of basic rights, the absolute rights of the Indonesian people, the police interpret intimidation naively, only about physical matters," he said.

Butet explained that the permit from the police should only be for art that has the potential to disrupt public order.

But if art is displayed in art venues, cultural gardens, arts community, Taman Ismail Marzuki, a pavilion where art is sufficient notification because there are no disturbances in public order.

"The task of the police is to anticipate the threat of public order, but in our performances. A week earlier I had to sign a letter which reads 'I have to comply, not talk about politics, my event is not allowed for campaigns, there should be no image marks, no election matters'," he said.

Although he presents an ordinary story, this is the first time since 1998 the police have added that editorial regulations should not talk about politics that must be signed.

"That's intimidation in my opinion. Intimidation doesn't have to be a face-to-face meeting, there doesn't have to be verbal statements from the police, the police come angry, that's not it," he said.

Butet admitted that he only shared facts and did not dare to accuse the police of state tools during this campaign began to intervene in public life.

"Just telling facts, I believe that the Indonesian people, intelligent people, can judge by themselves. If I collate, the content is more or less like that, more because there are many students, I believe that students who are present at our event are the owners of the future of the nation and state," he said.