Jakarta – The ban on the screening of the film "Pesta Babi" (Pig Festival) is a clear violation of the 1945 Constitution, a violation of the right to freedom of expression and the public's right to obtain and access works of art and information.
This ban demonstrates the persistence of censorship and pressure on space for culture and knowledge in Indonesia, even as the state is supposed to guarantee citizens' freedom to think, discuss and make independent choices.
The documentary file Pesta Babi (2026) is a joint production by WatchDoc, the New Indonesia Expedition, the People's Earth Heritage Foundation (Pusaka), Jubi Media, Greenpeace Indonesia and the Papua Merauke Legal Aid Foundation (LBH), and was directed by Dandhy Dwi Laksono and Cypri Dale.
The film tells the story of the struggle of indigenous peoples in South Papua – primarily the Marind, Yei, Awyu and Muyu tribes – against large-scale government and corporate projects that are converting their forests and ancestral lands into industrial areas for palm oil, sugar cane and large-scale food projects.
The film attempts to show how indigenous people are defending their ancestral lands amidst the immense pressure from industrial expansion and the security forces.
The film is also enriched by tracing data on the ownership or affiliations of palm oil and cassava plantation businesses in the region, which also revealed the primary beneficiaries.
However, the limited screenings and discussions of Pesta Babi that have been held in a number of locations and regions have faced intimidation and forced closures.
According to data compiled by WatchDoc, at least 21 (twenty-one) instances of serious intimidation have occurred during screenings of Pesta Babi in various regions across Indonesia.
This intimidation included pressure to cancel screenings, phone calls from the security forces, surveillance of the event by security forces and intimidation of organisers through forced requests for identification and forced closures.
The series of such incidents began on April 9 in Dompu, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), when a film screening was marred by intimidation of the event organisers, namely by the Dompu Region Indonesian Community Front.
Throughout the screening, the event was monitored by security forces.
Intimidation was also experienced by Class XI F1 students at the Sungayan 1 State (Senior) High School (SMAN) in Tanah Datar regency, West Sumatra. In May, the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) contacted the school principal regarding the film screening.
Meanwhile, a film screening and discussion in Ternate, North Maluku, organised by the Ternate Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) was closed down on May 8.
A similar event in Suralaga, East Lombok, organised by the Aspirasi Institute of Technology and Health on May 9, was also forcibly closed down. The closure in Suralaga was carried out by the vice-rector, along with local police.
At the University of Mataram, the film screening was shut down even before it had finished.
Meanwhile, in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta, several screening rooms contacted by the community to be used for events reportedly declined to host screenings due to pressure and concerns about the security situation.
We believe that the security forces do not have the authority to determine what the public can or cannot watch. The security forces' job is to ensure security and order, not to be the arbiters of taste, morality or the interpretation of a work of art.
Moreover, the closures were not accompanied by a clear reason, either related to substance or security.
In addition to this, the closures, which were carried out by members of the Indonesian Military (TNI), clearly violates the TNI Law, which states that the TNI is a state instrument for defence, not security and order.
When the authorities begin to intrude too far into the realm of cultural expression and citizens' freedom of thought, what results is a narrowing of democratic space and an increase in fear of expression.
Films, like journalism, literature, music and other forms of art, are a medium for conveying ideas, social criticism, human experience and reflections on reality.
Not all works need to be liked or approved of by everyone.
In a democratic society, differing opinions about a work should be addressed through discussion, criticism, or the choice not to watch, not through bans and intimidation.
Banning film screenings also has the potential to create a climate of self-censorship among artists, cultural communities and independent screening spaces, stifling public freedom of expression.
When the threat of mass pressure or government intervention becomes normalised, the public gradually loses the space to enjoy diverse and critical works.
This situation is dangerous for the development of democracy, culture and civil liberties in Indonesia.
We remind you that freedom of expression is guaranteed by the Constitution and is an essential part of human rights.
The state is constitutionally obligated to protect, fulfill and respect this right, not to allow or even be involved in putting pressure on and banning of works of art and cultural expression.
Tolerating such bans will only strengthen intolerant practices and open up space for arbitrary action against citizens' freedoms.
Furthermore, the practice of threats and violence during forced closures also has the potential to meet the criminal elements stipulated under Article 448 of the Criminal Code (KUHP).
Therefore, legal action should be taken against those who threaten, disband and prohibit film screenings, not those who organise screenings and discussions.
We therefore urge all parties, especially campus administrators, the police, the TNI and the government, to:
1. Stop all forms of intimidation, excessive surveillance and forced closures of film screenings and peaceful discussion forums.
2. Guarantee freedom of expression, academic freedom and citizens' right to obtain information through screenings of works of art and culture.
A healthy democracy is not built on prohibitions, but on the courage to open spaces for dialogue, differences of opinion and freedom of thought. Whether or not to watch a film is a citizen's right. The state and its authorities have no right to make such decisions on behalf of the public.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Pelarangan Pemutaran Film "Pesta Babi" adalah Pelanggaran Hukum dan Tindakan yang Mengangkangi Konstitusi".]