Straight to the point: After a bit of a hiatus over the Eid holiday, we got bad news regarding the possibility of securing future gigs. For those who do not know, we have frequently performed at major events in cities large and small across Indonesia. For the last three and a half years, we have also never stopped conveying our resistance through #BaliTolakReklamasi from every stage. All of this we do from the heart, independently, without any external interests guiding our decision—either politically or in business.
Over time, slowly but surely, the resistance movement has grown and gathered support, both locally in Bali, as well as across Indonesia. This has outraged the authorities and entrepreneurs behind this destructive project. So they began to plan a counterattack.
Initially, they did this in Bali through intimidation by attempting to terrorize SID personnel and blocking permits for concerts involving SID. But this way was not successful, because even acts of intimidation cannot stop the growing and increasingly organized people's resistance movement against greedy leaders and entrepreneurs.
As their frustration grew and their cunning plans were jeopardized, they tried to "drown out" Bali Rejects Reclamation resistance through more devious ways, such as trying to destroy our careers, perhaps because they see us as a major threat to their interests.
Long story short: Their intimidation has grown in scale to span the nation. Their tricks are so deceitful, and they have used their access to power to put pressure on organizers of music events throughout Indonesia to no longer book SID. This has automatically resulted in a decrease in gigs for us, and we are not able to voice our strong opposition on the biggest stages or as frequently as before
Our gig schedule until the end of this year has been dramatically impacted. As a band, our participation will be impacted. But will this will make us choose the safe way and forget the struggle of Bali Rejects Reclamation? OF COURSE NOT.
This makes us embarrassed and strive harder to be more consistent once again for the struggle. We believe that fortune will always be there for those who strive with integrity for their natural and native land. We prefer in living justly, rather than in wealth by prostituting our idealism and self respect and abandoning the struggle for the Bali we desperately defend as our home.
Nothing can stop us until this project of greed is permanently abandoned.
Salam resistance,
SID
*translated by our beloved friend Rebekah Moore