Radhiyya Indra, Jakarta – Crackdowns by the Indonesian Military (TNI) on public screenings of a documentary exploring land conflicts and the TNI presence in Papua have intensified concerns over shrinking space for free expression and the military's expanding role beyond defense under President Prabowo Subianto.
The disruptions targeted screenings of Pesta Babi (Pig Party), a documentary by investigative journalist Dandhy Laksono, who in 2019 directed Sexy Killers on Indonesia's coal industry and the 2024 film Dirty Vote on the presidential election, both of which were met with controversy for their politically laden content.
Produced by WatchDoc alongside several environmental and legal advocacy groups, Pesta Babi explores deforestation and land conversion in Papua linked to the government's expanding food estate and energy transition programs, which have been designated National Strategic Projects (PSN) under President Prabowo's administration.
The documentary's trailer depicts indigenous Papuan communities resisting the conversion of customary forests into industrial plantations, all the while tracing the corporate ownership networks behind plantation projects in southern Papua.
Since its limited release in April, screenings of the documentary have repeatedly faced intimidation, cancellations and forced shutdowns by local authorities in cities ranging from Yogyakarta to West Nusa Tenggara, with at least 21 incidents documented by a coalition of 10 civil society organizations.
One of the most prominent disruptions occurred in Ternate, North Maluku, last Saturday, when soldiers led by Ternate Military District commander Lt. Col. Jani Setiadi halted a screening over what Jani described as the film's sensitive and potentially provocative content.
"We saw on social media that many people rejected this film because they considered it provocative from the title alone," Jani said on Saturday, according to videos circulating on X.
He maintained that the decision represented neither his personal opinion nor the institutional stance of the military.
Dandhy rejected accusations that the film was provocative, calling the breaking up of the screening "illogical" and warning that it threatened democratic space.
"Excuses such as provocative or unconducive conditions indicate the military's increasingly reckless stance," he was quoted as saying by Tempo on Sunday.
Freedom of speech clampdown
The crackdown has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups, legal aid organizations and press freedom advocates, who have accused security personnel of violating constitutional protections on free expression and public access to information.
"In a democratic society, differences of opinion regarding a work should be addressed through discussion, criticism or the choice not to watch, not through bans and intimidation," the groups said in a joint statement on Saturday.
The coalition, which includes the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and the Office for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation in Papua, also condemned the military's involvement, saying the actions "clearly contradict the Military Law".
"The law stipulates TNI members as a state instrument for defense, not security or public order," the coalition added.
Military analyst Rizal Darma Putra of the Indonesia Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies (Lesperssi) shared similar concerns, warning that the lack of accountability could embolden the military to further intimidation.
"The officers and their higher-ups should be punished, [... ] or else, such military intervention in non-defense matters will continue to be normalized," Rizal told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
The controversy comes amid broader concerns about the expanding role of the military under Prabowo, following the increasing involvement of active and retired officers in civilian institutions and PSN, including food estate programs.
Rights groups have also repeatedly criticized the government's ongoing military operations in Papua, where clashes between security forces and armed separatists have coincided with land expansion projects.
Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai weighed in on the controversy on Monday, saying film screenings and public watch parties could not be banned arbitrarily without a legal basis or a court ruling.
Army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Donny Pramono did not immediately respond to the Post's request for comments.