TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Dean of the the Indonesian Institute of Arts and Culture (ISBI) has banned the a Karl Marx discussion group from meeting for its' last session out of fear of a 'negative reaction' if the class is allowed to continue.
Previously, several protests and complaints were filed by anti-communist organisations. In fact, several groups had entered the campus grounds and protested that the organiser - the student press association Daun Jati - is spreading the ideology of communism.
The Head of Daun Jati, Mohamad Chandra Irfan said that the last discussion was supposed to be held on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 - but the Dean revoked its' permission so the discussion was cancelled. "We have agreed to cancel the discussion, because it might provoke other groups," said Chandra in Bandung.
Chandra said that the Dean had stated that ISBI's campus should remain as a neutral ground - as opposed to a battlefield of ideology - following the recent attack by a mass organisation. "As per our agreement, however, the discussion on Karl Marx will be integrated into a formal class," Chandra said. "That said, we will continue to voice our opinions against the arbitrary actions of anti-intellectual organisations that has encroached our freedom to explore an academic space."
As a reaction to the recent protest by anti-communist organisations, hundreds of ISBI students held a peaceful rally in front of the Patanjala Building on ISBI's campus, voicing their disappointment of the fact that their academic freedom have been intervened by organisations that had no rights nor basis to do so. According to Tempo's observation, several police personnel have been placed to stand guard near the location of the campus, which is located on Jl. Buah Batu in Bandung.
The Karl Marx discussion group - which began in March 2016 - aims to dissect art through the perspective of the philosopher, which is considered as one of the most influential philosopher of the 19th century. The discussion group is facilitated by academics and lecturers from ISBI, Padjajaran University, as well as activists and artists.
The Deputy Chancellor for Acadamic and Student Relations for ISBI, Benny Yohannes, said that he does not want ISBI to be dragged into a political struggle. "We want academic activities here to be run the an academic activity should be run - not because of any underlying political motive," he said.
Benny said that the final discussion on Karl Marx will be merged with the class on Theatrical Aesthetics. "We do perceive nor do we see Marx's ideology through political act - but how it impacts our perception of the arts," Benny said.
IQBAL T. LAZUARDI S.
