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Legislator questions police and military intimidation of SID concert in Bali
Tribune News - August 23, 2016
The SID concert in Tabanan last week went viral on social media via the SID fan page following the excessive behaviour by security personnel.
"I strongly reject the [actions] of security personnel at the SID concert in the context of repressing freedom of expression. Because the Constitution explicitly guarantees this", said Anang at the DPR building at the Senayan parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Monday August 22.
In the posting that went viral from the SID fan page it said that security personnel, intelligence officers and soldiers checked spectators and the concert agenda in order to ensure no BTR or Bali Tolak Reklamasi (Bali Rejects Reclamation of Benoa Bay) protest materials were brought to the event.
Moreover the posting said that a BTR protest message attached to a SID drum kit was forcibly removed at the request of security personnel.
Hermansyah, a politician and musician, believes that the SID concert represented an act of freedom of expression that did not use violent actions.
Because of this therefore, added Hermansyah, there were no grounds for security personnel to behave excessively. "Security personnel must be able to differentiate violence from loud music", he asserted.
Furthermore, he said, the security force must explain what the motive and aims of their actions were. If they were designed as a preventative measure, then of course it is another matter.
"This was triggered by the polemic over the [Benoa Bay] reclamation [project] in Bali that has been going on for years, right. This problem should be resolved quickly. Don't leave it to fester like this", said Hermansyah.
The SID musicians, who originate from Jember in East Java, have called on formal institutions at the Bali provincial level to mediate the wishes of the people in order to find a point of agreement.
Hermansyah is also calling on the central government to pay serious attention to the polemic surrounding the reclamation project in Bali. "Remember that Bali is the shop front of Indonesian tourism, all parties must ensure that the situation remains favourable", warned Hermansyah.
According to Hermansyah, there is no problem with SID's stand in campaigning against the Benoa Bay reclamation project.
As Indonesian citizens, added Hermansyah, anyone has the right to express their opinions in public. "What SID did was completely legitimate. It is the right of [all] citizens to convey and express their views", he said.
[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was Anang Pertanyakan Intimidasi Aparat Saat Konser SID di Bali.]
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