Resistance mounts against porn bill

Abdul Khalik and Dicky Christanto ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta, Denpasar   |  Mon, 09/15/2008 10:13 AM  |  Headlines

Civil society groups and several regions are voicing strong opposition to the controversial pornography bill as legislators rush through deliberations during Ramadan.

Critics have slammed the bill as a threat to national integration and pluralism.

Many members of the public have only recently become aware the House of Representatives' working committee has completed debating the bill and is set to submit the draft to a plenary meeting for endorsement in the next few weeks.

The bill has been approved by the Golkar Party and Islamic parties such as the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB). More moderate parties such as the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the National Mandate Party (PAN) are internally divided over the law.

The voting mechanism at the plenary session means the bill is likely to be passed.

Clear opposition to the bill has come from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS). However, their motion is too insignificant to stop the passage of the bill as its proponents will seek support from hard-line Islamic groups during Ramadan and the current election campaigns.

The bill has been staunchly opposed by organizations in Bali and South Kalimantan as well as by many civil society groups in Jakarta and other regions.

A coalition of influential organizations in Bali threatened Saturday to mobilize local people for a "civil disobedience" movement should the House press ahead with the bill.

"If the legislators refuse to take into account our opinions, and continue disrespecting our sacred principle of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) then we have no option but to ask our fellow Balinese to stand united in a civil disobedience movement," Bali's People Component (KRB) coordinator I Gusti Ngurah Harta said in Denpasar, Bali.

Members of the KRB include Balinese intellectuals and artists such as chairman of the High Priests' Body of the Indonesian Hindu Council (Parisadha) Ida Pedanda Sebali Tianyar Arimbawa, respected scholar I Wayan Dibia, legal expert and former Constitutional Court judge I Dewa Gede Palguna and Indonesian Cartoonists Association (Pakarti) chairman Jango Paramartha.

In Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, local Commission for Indonesian Child Protection chairman Jumri said his organization and many people in the province opposed the bill.

"The draft law doesn't differentiate between children and adults as it hands out equal punishments for both. Children are only victims of the industry," he was quoted as saying by Antara.

In Jakarta, opposition was voiced by a coalition of NGOs, including the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) and the Women's Legal Aid Foundation (LBH APIK), at a news conference Sunday.

"We will write to the House, asking them to delay the deliberation as the passage of the bill at this moment will only spark unrest within society," Komnas Perempuan chairperson Kemala Candrakirana said.

Agung Sasonko, a PDI-P legislator in the House working committee (Panja), said the committee was testing the bill in three cities -- Makassar in South Sulawesi, Banjarmasin and Ambon in Maluku -- before it is approved.

"We question why they only picked these three cities. They are really in a rush to pass the bill. Tomorrow (Monday), we will assess the results from the these cities," he said.

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