Wednesday 24 September 2008

...em-body the law

AIDS cyberspace in Indonesia is hot about the draft law on pornography, currently being debated by parliament, and promised as a Lebaran present to the Muslim community. Although (probably) few have actually studied the draft, there is much fear that it will impact on the diversity of Indonesia. For example, will it be against the law to photograph a Papuan wearing only a koteka (a penis sheath)? Will women (again) become the main victims of the bill?

At least the draft seems to have dropped its related focus on 'pornoaksi', a very Indonesian concept of actions that are pornographic. These include the 'drilling' dancing developed by one dancer, but it was also touted as forbidding a goodbye kiss between two men at the airport.

Several AIDS activists are concerned that producing and distributing pictures of human genitals will become a criminal act. Will this apply to pictures used in activities around 'reproductive health' (the usual euphemism for 'sexual health')? What about the Spiritia Q&A forum? Although I rarely now answer them, I still often get questions using language that could be considered porno - although I'm often amused that the questioners write 'maaf (excuse me)' before such naughty words as 'penis' (or even 'constipation'!). If I reply referring for example to 'vaginal sex'. will I be locked up?

Several commentators (including Kartono Mohamad, former chair of the Indonesian Medical Association, and brother of Gunawan) have noted the several items of 'ethnic' food in Indonesia also use 'naughty' words. Kartono's example is 'kontol kambing (sheep penis)' - a cake from Malang in East Java. 'Kontol' is a very crude word, and I'm always scared to use the Indonesian word for 'control' (work it out), in case I leave out the 'r' by mistake. Will peddlers of such food also end up in gaol?

Dr. Nadiar from the National AIDS Commission (NAC) has made the reasonable point that we shouldn't criticise the draft if we haven't read it. But in many of these (unfortunately poorly-drafted) bills, interpretation is everything. And the police are not known for liberal interpretation. I'd prefer it if Dr. Nadiar promised that the NAC would defend us in cases of unreasonable arrest.

Babé

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