[Reader-list] The new anti-pornography bill in Indonesia

[Rana Dasgupta]

this from a friend of mine in jakarta.  indonesian islamists have tried 
unsuccessfully before to pass a ban on certain kinds of female clothing 
and on "pornographic" images or text.

they are making another effort now.  the revised anti-porn bill proposes 
banishment for porn offenders to remote areas for 1 to 15 years.

The following article gives some details.

R


The Jakarta Post - Opinion News - Tuesday, December 11, 2007
A swinging anti-pornography bill

Leon Agusta, Jakarta

After a disappearance from public attention, the anti-pornography bill 
has now resurfaced with the new name "Anti-Pornography Bill", when 
several factions in the House of Representatives, in particular the 
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), United Development Party (PPP), and 
Golkar -- after initially questioning it, sent on the bill without the 
required approval of a plenary session to the government executives for 
further study.

Other factions had held a critical stance from the beginning, such as 
the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), National Awakening 
Party (PKB), and the National Mandate Party (PAN), were not given the 
opportunity to put forward their opinions.

In terms of legal procedure, the bill is flawed. Thus we need to ask: 
Why were these factions so anxious to hand the bill over to the 
executive body that they actually broke the rules?

The definition of pornography according to the bill says: "Pornography 
is any man-made work that includes sexual materials in the form of 
drawings, sketches, illustrations, photographs, text, sound, moving 
pictures, animation, cartoons, poetry, conversation, or any other form 
of communicative messages; it also may be shown through the media in 
front of the public; it can arouse lust and lead to the violation of 
normative values within society; and it can also cause the development 
of pornographic acts within society".

In regard to exceptions, the bill stipulates that: "... it does not 
include the making, the distribution, and the use of pornography for a) 
sexual dysfunctions therapy, b) art and cultural performances, and c) 
customary and traditional rituals".

During a discussion, organized by a private radio station in Jakarta 
last week, poet W.S. Rendra asserted that: "The bill displays a crisis 
of common sense. It is against Pancasila (Five Principles ideology), and 
there is no existing law that calls for it. It is against the principles 
of social justice and the sovereignty of the people. ... The Pornography 
Bill is culturally dangerous. Anything that cannot be defined with 
clarity should never be turned into a binding law. Pornography should be 
left within the territory of morality and religions-not some act. The 
Pornography Bill is flawed as it neglects the codes of morality and the 
codes of religions."

Having heard Rendra's words regarding the potential dangers of the bill 
once it is approved, some said, "It would be great to see him speak 
during a parliamentary session".

"Would that be possible?"

Speaking in the same forum, Sinta Nuriyah Abdurrahman Wahid also 
underlined the dangers of this bill.

"The bill is politics-ridden; it is a political agenda. It might be used 
to justify repressive conduct. As a woman I don't feel protected. As a 
woman I actually feel under threat. What they should've done is maximize 
the implementation of laws and other legal acts that we already have 
instead of turning the law into some kind of commodity," she said.

At Taman Ismail Marzuki, a home shared by artists, last Nov. 28, the 
reaction toward the bill was unanimous acrimony. Marco Kosumawijaya, the 
executive of the Jakarta Arts Council, strongly objected to the 
Pornography Bill. "The reasoning behind the bill is ambiguous..."

According to Marco, to put bodily expressions in the arts, culture, and 
customs under the same category as pornography is blasphemy toward the 
arts, culture, and customs themselves.

Would the respectable members of the legislature be willing to take the 
reactions of the people into consideration during their final sessions 
on the bill?"

It is hard to tell (or is it?).

Apparently, it will take some time before any side can win this battle. 
It is also apparent that it is highly possible that if the controversy 
becomes too extensive, the whole matter will one day make its way into 
the Constitutional Court.

It is hard to believe that this country can give birth to such a bill. 
It is inevitable that some might get the impression that the House of 
Representatives, or at least the Pornography Bill Special Committee, is 
intentionally sowing the seeds of catastrophe in this nation.

This is terrifying! Why can't they see this? What is really going on in 
that house of voices?

Leon Agusta is a poet