Date: Wed, 07 Jan 1998 09:54:06 +0700 From: Dede Oetomo Subject: Report of the 3rd Indonesian Lesbian and Gay Congress REPORT OF THE THIRD INDONESIAN LESBIAN & GAY CONGRESS (KLGI III) DENPASAR, BALI, 21–23 NOVEMBER 1997 The 3rd Indonesian Lesbian & Gay Congress (KLGI III) was successfully organized by GAYa DEWATA, the main lesbian, gay and transgender organization in Bali, in Denpasar on 21–23 November 1997. Forty-six women, men and transgenders representing 11 organizations as well as in their capacity as individual activists from the islands of Java, Bali, Lombok and Sulawesi participated. The first part of the Congress was a meeting of the Indonesian Lesbian & Gay Network (JLGI), while the second part consisted of workshops on coming out issues; sex, sexuality, and love; sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS; entertainment as a tool for health education, and a special closed session for lesbians. The final evening of the Congress featured an Entertainment Night, well-attended by Denpasar's LGBT community, at Denpasar's prestigious Art Center. This is the first KLGI covered by the mainstream press (a local paper, Nusa Tenggara, and Radio Netherlands), although for security reason interviews with key individuals were held after the Congress finished. The official permission to hold the event was for an HIV/AIDS peer education training, and this became an issue with the provincial police (who issued the permission) afterwards. The local organizing committee was able to persuade the police not to continue to take issue, however. The following are resolutions agreed upon at the meeting of the Indonesian Lesbian & Gay Network: ORGANIZATION OF THE NETWORK 1. Coordination of the Indonesian Lesbian & Gay Network (JLGI) for the 1997–1999 period continues to be the responsibility of GAYa NUSANTARA. The Yogyakarta-based organization, Indonesian Gay Society (IGS), was nominated to be the coordinator for 1999–2000. We expect IGS's acceptance by the 1998 September Ceria event (an annual get-together in Tawangmangu, Central Java). 2. The network decided to maintain the regional coordination structure, as follows: - Sumatra & Jakarta metropolitan area: IPOOS/Gaya Betawi (Jakarta). - West Java: Gaya Priangan (Bandung). - Central Java & Yogyakarta: IGS (Yogyakarta). - East Java & Borneo: GN (Surabaya). - Bali, Nusa Tenggara & East Timor: Gaya Dewata (Denpasar). - Celebes, Moluccas, and Irian Jaya: Gaya Celebes (Ujung Pandang). 3. The Fourth Indonesian Lesbian & Gay Congress (KLGI IV) will only be held when the network is really ready to organize it. Deliberation on this matter will be taken at the meeting of the network in 1998 (see item 4). 4. In lieu of a Congress, in the interim an annual meeting of the network will be held on the day before the September Ceria event. 5. Each region is expected to organize a regional meeting prior to the annual meeting. 6. To facilitate communications among organizations and individual activists in the network, each organization or individual activist is expected to send a monthly report of activities to the coordinator of the network. This can be accomplished in a simple manner, such as by face-to-face encounters, simple letters, phone calls, or e-mail. 7. Each organization in the network is expected to "foster" a new organization or individual activists in its surrounding area. Each individual activist is expected to attempt the founding of an organization in his/her own location. HEALTH 1. Organizations or individual activists who have not carried out physical as well as non-physical sexual health education is expected to do so soon. 2. Physical health education needs to take into consideration the diversity of sexuality in society. PUBLICATION 1. If possible, organizations with publications are expected to send at least one copy of their publications to all organizations and individual activists in the network. 2. Organizations and individual activists are expected to promote the existing publications. 3. Organizations or individual activists within the network are expected to act as conduits for the sale of existing publications. 4. We reiterate the resolution of KLGI I, item IV, on publications, especially items 1 & 2: Item 1: Each group who wishes to publish a serial must correctly understand the concepts of homosexuality and the realities in the lesbian and gay communities in Indonesia. Item 2: Aim of publication: The contents of a serial must: a. be in accordance with the ideology of the lesbian and gay movement in Indonesia. b. be educational and empowering. c. avoid pornography. d. uplift the spirit of the lesbian and gay movement in Indonesia. PUBLIC RELATIONS 1. Each organization or individual activist in the network is expected to be more proactive in relating to the public, such as by: - commenting on pieces on gays, lesbians and transgenders in different mass media. - writing letters to the editor. 2. The arts are a powerful means of introducing the existence of gays, lesbians and transgenders. 3. Each organization or individual activist is encouraged to increase contacts with different mass media. 4. Each organization or individual activist is encouraged to facilitate research on gays, lesbians and transgenders. 5. It is expected that in future Congress participants can also be members of the general public.