May 1998 Tragedy Documentary Screening in Surakarta Canceled

TEMPO.CO, Surakarta - An event called “Acara Panggung Rakyat” in Solo commemorating the tragedy of May in Solo failed to screen the May 1998 Tragedy documentary.  Police requested the organizing committee to cancel the event, which was scheduled on Thursday night, May 26.

Art performances had to be stopped sooner when the situation heated up.  A number of unknown men entered the venue and urged the event to be dismissed.

The event was organized at Gedung Djoeang 45 by the Commission for Missing People and Victim of Violence (Kontras) i collaboration with several organizations.  In addition to screening the film, the event was also to feature musical performance, poetry reading, and oration.  “The police came and demanded that the event should be canceled,” Kontras activist Indah Nurmasari said on Thursday, May 26 at the venue.

According to Indah, police argued that the event could be raided by a mass organization. After a negotiation, police finally allowed the show to go on, with a condition that some programs must be eliminated, including the screening of a documentary film and oration.  The show was finally continued by featuring musical performance.

Surakarta Islamic People’s Soldiers (LUIS) spokesperson Endro Sudarsono, who happened to be at the venue, claimed the he did not know the men who demanded the show to be dismissed. 

Pasarkliwon Precinct Police Chief Adj. Commissioner Nur Prasetyantoyo refused to comment on the detail.  “My apologies, but I am not at liberty to give out that information,” he said.

AHMAD RAFIQ