“Pesta Babi” Watch Party, Held by Senat Mahasiswa Universitas, Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana

Audiences gathering for the show (Photo by @6bb on Medium)

Salatiga, 21/05 — A public discussion of a movie documentary titled ‘Pesta Babi’ took place in Salatiga, help raising urgent issues about deforestation, colonial legacies, and the rights of indigenous Papuans. The event gathered academics, students, and community leaders who stressed the importance of young people as agents of change in addressing structural injustice.

Speakers highlighted the large-scale deforestation in Papua, with over 2.5 million hectares of forest in the southern region threatened by national strategic projects. One participant described it as ‘deforestasi paling masif negara modern,’ emphasizing the ecological and human impact of such policies.

The Moderator (Center), Hendrik Tapolo, and the Speakers (Left to Right): Kenneth Nathanael Timothy Punuh, Melkior NN Sitokdana, S.Kom, M.Eng., Roberto Duma Buladja, and Prof. Pdt. Izzak Y M Lattu, Ph.D. (Photo by rome on Medium)

The discussion also looked at colonialism not just as territorial control but as a process that shapes identity and freedom.

A reminder was given that documentary films are “presentasi realitas, tapi bukan berarti realitas itu sendiri,” encouraging critical engagement with media portrayals of Papua’s struggles.

Legal restrictions on indigenous land rights were criticized as systemic dispossession.

“Hak-hak masyarakat adat dibatasi dengan berbagai alasan dan produk hukum,” a speaker noted, pointing to regulations that centralize power in Jakarta and limit local autonomy.

The debate expanded to national ideology, with participants viewing the exploitation of Papua as a betrayal of Pancasila.

One speaker declared, “Celakanya, perampasan ini dilakukan atas nama negara,” linking resource extraction to violations of the principle of Kemanusiaan yang adil dan beradab.

From a Melanesian perspective, the connection between humans, nature, and spirit was emphasized as inseparable.

“Alam adalah tubuh orang Papua. Ketika alam rusak, tubuh mereka pun rusak,” explained another contributor, stressing that ecological destruction is also cultural and spiritual violence.

Some of the ‘Pesta Babi’ Audiences (Photo by @6bb on Medium)

Students were encouraged to move beyond awareness into action.

“Kita harus berani menjadi agent of change,” one speaker insisted, calling for ongoing mobilization and policy advocacy rather than passive acceptance of tradition or authority.

The Pesta Babi forum ended with a collective call for solidarity and resistance against projects that reduce Papua to “tanah kosong” while erasing its people’s rights and identity. The event in Salatiga reflected growing national concern that development policies must be reformed to uphold justice, humanity, and ecological balance.