05/15/2026
CENTRAL BORNEO (May 15, 2026) — A journalist based in Central Kalimantan has received serious physical threats, including an acid attack terror, after posting an online invitation for a watch party of the controversial documentary film “Pesta Babi” (The Pig Feast).
The journalist, identified as Budi, who is a member of the Independent Journalists Alliance (AJI), reported receiving threatening text messages. The anonymous sender explicitly threatened to execute an acid attack against him and his family, drawing similarities to a recent high-profile attack on a prominent human rights defender.
The threats emerged shortly after Budi uploaded a digital flyer promoting a public screening of the 95-minute documentary. Directed by Watchdoc, “Pesta Babi” chronicles land conflicts, indigenous rights violations, and massive deforestation driven by large-scale state agricultural projects in South Papua.The Independent Journalists Alliance (AJI) has strongly condemned the intimidation.
In response, AJI central and regional chapters are taking immediate action to coordinate protection measures and file an official complaint with the National Police Headquarters (Mabes Polri).”We demand that law enforcement agencies thoroughly investigate the perpetrators and uncover the motives behind these severe threats,” said Rendy Tisna, the Chairperson of the AJI Banjarmasin Preparatory Chapter.
Tisna emphasized that such terror tactics are a dangerous attempt to silence freedom of expression and block public discussion on public interest reporting.The incident comes amidst a broader wave of censorship and intimidation surrounding the film. Public watch parties for “Pesta Babi” have recently been forcibly shut down by security forces and university administrations across various regions, including Mataram and Ternate.
Despite the film being legally certified for limited platform distribution, authorities and institutions have frequently cited “public order” and the “sensitive political nature” of the documentary’s content to justify the bans.
