http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/playmate-stokes-religious-fury/2006/07/07/1152240494066.html
Playmate stokes religious fury A group of youths in Jakarta are glued to the first edition of Indonesia's Playboy magazine. Photo: AFP Mark Forbes Herald Correspondent in Jakarta July 8, 2006 KARTIKA GUNAWAN is not a typical Playboy playmate, but neither are her centrefold shots. Although her starring role in the first issue of an Indonesian edition of Playboy finally supported the excuse that readers bought it only for the articles (not a nipple was visible, in a concession to hardline Islamicists calling for the publication to be banned), Gunawan faces more than two years in jail for indecency. Jakarta's police chief bowed to pressure from the radical Islamic Defenders Front this week, proposing indecency charges against Gunawan, another model and Playboy's editor, Erwin Arnada. The magazine has been targeted by opponents as a symbol of Western decadence and the row has led to calls for tough anti-pornography laws outlawing "sensual behaviour", revealing clothing, even kissing in public. It is part of a concerted push to impose sharia law throughout Indonesia, a campaign that Abu Bakar Bashir, the former spiritual leader of the Jemaah Islamiah terrorist network, vowed to spearhead on his release from prison last month. Rock-throwing protesters tried to ransack Playboy's Jakarta office when the first edition appeared in April, so Arnada relocated to the more tolerant island of Bali. He published a second edition last month, with numerous blank pages after advertisers withdrew their support following threats by the Islamic Defenders Front. Arnada says he altered Playboy's content to accommodate Indonesian culture. "We never publish nude pictures," he said. Gunawan is defiant. The trained nurse and aspiring actress says she was proud of her photographs as they "prove I was able to make it in a men's magazine, and the photo concepts were normal, acceptable; not vulgar" . In person, she appears almost coy, confiding that she would not agree to pose naked. Flattered by the offer to feature in such a "cool" magazine, she was aware of the opposition to its publication but she believed the row would have died down by the time her pictures appeared. But Gunawan's decision to pose for the magazine has not brought her the attention she hoped for. She said told the Herald she was shocked when she was called in by police, then alarmed when they indicated she would be charged. "Who is not scared of being jailed," she asked, "but I try to be strong." At the police station, she faced a barrage of questions, Gunawan said: "Why did you want to be photographed like that? In those positions? Did you wear anything to cover up?" The officers seemed fixated on who watched the shoot and how much they could see. "I told them when I was photographed for lingerie, I wore a silicon bra and small panties," she says. "All I can say is that I am not the first person who was photographed like that." In fact, far more revealing photographs can be found in racy local tabloids and magazines that are available on street corners. Indonesian feminists have spoken out in defence of Playboy, with opposition to the anti-pornography campaign growing among the Jakarta elite. Individuals like Gunawan are pawns in the moral battle over reshaping Indonesia's identity. Confused by people trying to define pornography, she says "women should not be pressured in the way they dress" but says that if an anti-pornography law was introduced, "as a good citizen, I have to abide by it". [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Great things are happening at Yahoo! Groups. See the new email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/TISQkA/hOaOAA/yQLSAA/BRUplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> *************************************************************************** Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia *************************************************************************** __________________________________________________________________________ Mohon Perhatian: 1. Harap tdk. memposting/reply yg menyinggung SARA (kecuali sbg otokritik) 2. Pesan yg akan direply harap dihapus, kecuali yg akan dikomentari. 3. Reading only, http://dear.to/ppi 4. Satu email perhari: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 5. No-email/web only: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 6. kembali menerima email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
