Supporting Indonesia's human rights movement

Supporting Indonesia's human rights movement

Despite the fall of President Suharto in Indonesia, hundreds of political prisoners remain in jail, with countless others still missing.

Playworks, Culture Lab, the Actors Centre, Belvoir Street Theatre and a volunteer cast of professional actors are holding a play reading of the controversial Indonesian play Marsinah: Nyanyian Dari Bawah Tanah (Marsinah: A Song from the Underworld), translated by Robyn Fallick.

The Sydney reading is one of more than 30 around the world coordinated by the International Centre for Women Playwrights. It will be held at Belvoir Street on June 22 at 7.30pm, with music by Arafura. Donations will go to the Political Prisoners Appeal (Suara Independent Foundation).

Marsinah, which focuses on the plight of workers in Indonesia, was written by outspoken playwright and activist Ratna Sarumpaet. The play is Sarumpaet's passionate response to the brutal rape and murder in Surabaya in 1993 of a young woman who had led her fellow factory workers to protest about their appalling conditions. The murderers have not yet been brought to justice.

Sarumpaet was charged with subversion after leading a peaceful pro-democracy gathering. She and her colleagues were detained for 70 days in a police station in Jakarta.

On May 20, just 12 hours before Suharto's resignation, the group was given a rushed police "trial", found guilty of a reduced charge of "ignoring a police order" and set free, with a criminal record.

On May 28, Sarumpaet told Bela Kusumah of SBS Radio: "We have to keep writing. Keep writing and keep talking about humanity. When you're talking about humanity ... you have to face the authorities, that's the risk."

Last year, Indonesian police in three cities banned performances of Sarumpaet's play Marsinah Nenggugat (Marsinah Accuses). Now Sarumpaet is planning to test the new regime by staging the play in those very cities.

Check the Ratna Sarumpaet web page at <http://www.en.com/users/herone/Ratna.html> for more details of Sarumpaet's work. For further information about the Sydney performance contact Playworks or telephone Alison Lyssa on (02) 9389 2084.

From GLW issue 321