Gamelan Signers of the Letter (Go here to add your name.)
Statement of Concern (English follows)
Penyampaian Keprihatinan Para Seniman dan Sarajana Seni Pentas Indonesia kepada Presiden RI
Kami sarjana dan seniman dari dalam dan luar negeri menyampaikan keprihatinan atas Rancangan Undang-Undang Anti Pornografi dan Pornoaksi (RUU APP). Seni pentas Indonesia, terutama seni gamelan, wayang, dan tari Jawa dan Bali, tidak hanya dapat perhatian dari warga Indonesia, tetapi merupakan sumber kreativitas daripada seniman dan sarjana dunia. Malah wayang sudah diakui resmi sebagai Warisan Budaya Dunia Nonbendawi dari UNESCO. Mengurut pengamatan kami bila RUU APP disyahkan bisa mengurangi kreativitas seni tradisional maupun kontemporer.
Dengan RUU APP orang dilarang “menyiarkan, memperdengarkan, mempertontonkan atau menempelkan tulisan, suara atau rekaman suara, film atau yang dapat disamakan dengan film, syair lagu, puisi, gambar, foto dan/atau lukisan yang mengeksploitasi daya tarik tubuh atau bagian-bagian tubuh orang yang menari erotis atau bergoyang erotis.” Ini bisa ditafsirkan sebagai larangan terhadap seni tari daerah Tayuban, Joged, Ronggeng, Jaipongan, Gandrung Banyuwangi, dan lain sebagainya.
Orang juga “dilarang membuat tulisan, suara atau rekaman suara, film atau yang dapat disamakan dengan film, syair lagu, puisi, gambar, foto, dan/atau lukisan yang mengeksploitasi daya tarik bagian tubuh tertentu yang sensual dari orang dewasa.” Sastra klasik ala Serat Centhini dan ceritera pokok pewayangan tidak bisa tampil lagi. Salah satu contoh lakon Murwakala yang menggambarkan kelahiran Batara Kala. Karena terpesona melihat salah satu perempuan, Batara Guru keluar kamanya yang nanti menjadi Kamasalah. Lakon ini paling penting bagi para dalang tetapi bisa dilarang karena “erotis.” Seni dan erotis (langen dalam bahasa Jawa) kerap kali tidak jelas. RUU APP bisa juga menjadi dasar untuk melarang humor dalam drama rakyat, sindiran dalam seni tembang. Siapa tahu Borobudur dan Prambanan bisa ditutup karena relief “erotis.” Orang mengunjungi Borobudur mau tidak mau akan melihat gambar relief yang sangat sensual.
Memang menurut bab II pasal 36 “kegiatan seni” yang “dilaksanakan di tempat khusus pertunjukan seni” bisa mendapat perkecualian (bisa ditampilkan). Tetapi seni Indonesia pada umumnya tidak dilaksanakan di dalam gedung tetapi disponsori oleh komunitas rakyat di rumah pribadi, pinggir jalan, balai desa. Ini salah satu tanda bahwa penulis RUU APP kurang simpati dan faham bagaimana keadaan seni di daerah.
Kami harap RUU APP bisa direvisi ulang sesuai dengan kebutuhan dan keadaan seni dan budaya Indonesia.
Statement of Concern to the President of Indonesia from Practitioners and Scholars of Indonesian Performing Arts
We scholars and practitioners from Indonesia and abroad wish to express our concern regarding the Proposed Anti Pornography Legislation (RUU APP). Indonesian performing arts, especially the gamelan music, wayang, and dance of Java and Bali, are not only of concern to Indonesians, but also are a creative source for artists and scholars around the world. In fact, wayang has been formally recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. In our view adopting RUU APP can lead to a decline in creativity of traditional and contemporary art.
The RUU APP state that people are banned from “disseminating, listening to, staging or posting writings, sounds or recorded sounds, film or equivalent, song lyrics, poetry, pictures, photographs and/or paintings that exploit the attraction of the body or body parts of a person dancing or moving in an erotic fashion.” This can be interpreted as a ban on traditional dances including Tayuban, Joged, Ronggeng, Jaipongan, Gandrung Banyuwangi.
People are also “banned from making writing, sounds or recorded sounds, film or equivalent, song lyrics, poetry, pictures, photographs and/or paintings that exploit the attractive nature of sensual adult body parts.” Classical literature such as the Serat Centhini and the repertoire of wayang will not be able to appear again. One example is the story of Murwakala, which narrates the birth of Batara Kala. Struck by the beauty of a woman, Batara Kala emits sperm which becomes Kamasalah. This important story for all dalang can be banned for its “erotic” content. The boundaries of art and eros (langen in Javanese) are often not clear.
RUU APP can also become the basis of bans on humor in folk drama, allusions in traditional song. Who knows: perhaps Borobudur dan Prambanan will be closed due to their “erotic” reliefs. Visitors to Borobudur must of necessity look at pictures that are very sensual.
It is true that according to chapter II paragraph 36, “artistic activities” that “take place in places dedicated to art” are excepted (and can appear). But Indonesian art does not ordinarily take place in closed buildings, but is sponsored by a community in private houses, roadsides, village halls. This indicates that the writers of RUU APP are not sympathetic and lack understanding of the conditions of artistic production outside Jakarta.
We hope that the RUU APP can be revised so that they are appropriate for the needs and conditions of Indonesian art and culture.