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Authorities attempt to halt screening of 'The Look of Silence' in West Sulawesi
Suara Pembaruan - March 31, 2015
"Even though the attempt failed to stop the screening due to resistance from the Subar Raya editorial staff, the act has caused fear among the public, especially those who were present at the screening," said Asyari Mukrim, an activist from the West Sulawesi chapter of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), on Tuesday.
Nurlaela Lamasitiju from the Solidarity for Human Rights Violation Victims (SKP HAM) said the West Sulawesi police had displayed arrogance and intimidation by trying to prevent the public from accessing the film.
The movie screening, organized by Subar Raya newspaper and Mamuju Tarbiyah Academy, was held on Monday at a coffee shop.
The event, which was attended by commissioners from the local branch of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), was suddenly disrupted when 20 officers from the police force, the prosecutor's office and the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) showed up and demanded the event be dismissed because it did not have the necessary permit.
The organizers refused to comply, citing that such a permit was unnecessary for a simple movie screening and that the movie has been screened in many cities without any problem.
The film, which tells the story of Indonesia's 1965-66 anti-communist purge from the perspective of a family member of one of the victims of the state-sponsored killings, has caused concern in some corners due to the unfounded belief it promotes communism.
Earlier this month a group of Islamic hardliners attempted to halt the movie screening at Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University (UIN) in Yogyakarta but failed after students refused to concede and barricaded their campus to prevent the protesters storming in.
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