Aceh-bound reporters get marching orders at boot camp<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Karawang, West Java<\/p>\n
The only danger that most reporters have to face in their daily
\nroutine is getting caught in the crossfire of office politics.
\nBut a real fear of staring down the barrel of a gun prompted some
\nreporters to sign up for some military training.<\/p>\n
They were part of the second batch of reporters who took
\nmilitary training with the Armed Forces Strategic Reserves
\nCommand (Kostrad) instructors at the Sanggabuana military
\ntraining camp in Karawang, West Java, from June 8 to June 11.<\/p>\n
The training was a part of the Indonesian Military's (TNI)
\nembedded program for journalists to cover the ongoing military
\noperation in Aceh.<\/p>\n
A total of 64 journalists, aside from the curiosity to find
\nout what has really been going on in the restive Nanggroe Aceh
\nDarussalam, had to sacrifice their sleep due to the tight
\nschedule during the training.<\/p>\n
They had to be ready -- wearing military uniforms including
\nthe boots that can kill the wearers -- at 5 a.m. every morning
\nduring the four-day training from June 8 to June 11.<\/p>\n
The \"torture\" had already begun upon the reporters' arrival at
\nSanggabuana camp. The 64 journalists were ordered to duckwalk
\n(walk in a squatting position) to the complex. The complex itself
\nis located at the top of a hill and to reach it the journalists
\nhad to climb 225 stairs.<\/p>\n
Unlike regular military training where soldiers often face
\nphysical punishment, the journalists only received verbal
\nlashings and the harsh training schedule.<\/p>\n
The training turned out to be a major problem for the
\njournalists, most of whom never exercise.<\/p>\n
Taking place in Sanggabuana jungle, the reporters had to go on
\nfoot to different mountainous sites while at the same time adjust
\nto the instructors' shouting at them. The habit of shouting back
\nat editors in the newsroom apparently was not the norm with the
\ninstructors.<\/p>\n
Some of the journalists, mostly women, collapsed during the
\ntraining. Like it or not, the show must go on and so did the
\nprogram. Otherwise, the journalists would not receive a
\ncertificate stating that they had passed the training.<\/p>\n
The certificate was another reason why reporters joined the
\ntraining as without it they could not cover the ongoing military
\noperations.<\/p>\n
Since martial law was imposed in Aceh, journalists must show
\nthe training certificate to the Aceh martial law administrator
\nbefore they start reporting.<\/p>\n
One of the instructors, Maj. Zaid, said the strict regimen
\nwould be badly needed by journalists in order to survive in the
\nmiddle of the battle.<\/p>\n
\"The training is tough but it will help you avoid fatalities
\nin Aceh,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Apart from physical training, reporters were also taught to
\nuse weapons and survive in the jungle.<\/p>\n
The latter topic was more interesting as the reporters were
\nintroduced to various edible plants and animals. The journalists
\nalso had to drink snake blood and eat snake and lizard meat
\nduring the training.<\/p>\n
\"We got new knowledge of survival in a combat zone and we're
\ngrateful for that. However, we will remain objective while
\nreporting from Aceh,\" said Arief Suditomo, a news anchor with
\nSCTV private television station.<\/p>\n
An event called jurit malam was another mental test for
\nreporters as they had to walk one by one into the jungle around
\nmidnight. People said that the hill was \"spooky.\"<\/p>\n
Apart from the nationalist indoctrination for journalists, the
\nmain task as members of the press is to cover both sides of the
\nactual situation.<\/p>",
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