From: "John A. MacDougall" <apakabar@access.digex.net>
Subject: Anti-Dewi Reaction
Forwarded message:
From apakabar Mon Nov 1 20:43:44 1993
From: "John A. MacDougall" <apakabar>
Message-Id: <199311020142.AA00255@access.digex.net>
Subject: IN: Anti-Dewi Reaction
To: apakabar (John A. MacDougall)
Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1993 20:42:33 -0500 (EST)
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One note on the story -- Harmoko as Menpen has no legal authority to
ban books. This is probably reporter error. The Jaksa Agung is the
official empowered to ban books. -- John
Forwarded message:
>From apakabar Mon Nov 1 19:48:15 1993
To: paroki@uiuc.edu (Paroki On-line)
Reply-To: paroki@uiuc.edu
Sender: apakabar
Date: Mon, 01 Nov 1993 10:54:17 -0500 (EST)
From: 11BHARTOTANO@gallua.gallaudet.edu
Subject: NEWS= Indonesia bans nude photos of first president's widow.
Message-Id: <01H4SREK42YI8YDZ81@GALLUA.BITNET>
Date: Mon, 1 Nov 93 2:52:57 PST
JAKARTA (UPI) -- Information Minister Harmoko Monday banned a book
containing nude photographs of Dewi Sukarno, the Japanese-born widow of
Indonesia's first president.
Harmoko also told local newspapers not to print the photos, even if
the nudity is blackened out.
``Frankly speaking, the performance of nude photos is against the
culture and Indonesian ethics,'' Harmoko said. He also urged the
government to reprimand Dewi.
Several newspapers have already published the nude photos of Dewi,
blacking out her breasts and vagina.
Harmoko's statements were the latest reaction to a public uproar
since the publication of a book of photographs of late President
Sukarno's fourth and youngest wife. It's the second book published since
1974 to contain nude photos of Dewi.
Harmoko said he considered Dewi's posing for the photos unethical
because she retains Indonesian citizenship. ``Particularly, she was once
a former wife of the first president of Indonesia.''
``As an Indonesian citizen she must uphold the value of the nation,''
he said.
Lawmakers over the weekend urged the government to reprimand Dewi,
saying her actions could damage the name of late President Sukarno.
State Secretary Murdiono said that while the book was a personal
matter for the former Indonesian first lady, it could ``hurt the
feelings of Indonesians.''
The book, entitled ``Syuga,'' or ``Superior in Elegance,'' was
published in Japan, and is expected to be sold in Paris, Kyoto, Tokyo
and on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. Each of the initial 100,000
copies if priced at 48,000 yen ($45.50).
It contains nude photographs of the 53-year-old Dewi, most of which
were taken over six months by Japanese photographer Hideya Fujii in
Tokyo, Paris and Bali.
Sukarno, the flamboyant and charismatic Indonesian leader, married
Dewi, a trained geisha originally named Naoko Nemoto, in 1962 and
changed her name to the one he gave her -- Ratna Sari Dewi.
Dewi, who now lives in Paris, recently claimed that she was being
treated poorly by the Indonesian government, and said she was
considering renouncing her Indonesian citizenship and returning to
Japan.
Dewi claimed that the governemnt failed to compensate her for two
houses she was given by her late husband.
Dewi was by Sukarno's side during the last few months of his
presidency in 1967, before he was ousted by Suharto, who helped put down
a failed left-wing communist coup attempt in 1965. Suharto has ruled the
nation since first taking office in 1966.
Harmoko said that despite her background, when Dewi became a citizen
she had the obligation to abide by Indonesian attitudes.
----------------------
B.S. Hartotanojo, F.C.