Aceh tabloid forced to close<\/p>\n
Nani Farida and Teuku Agam Muzakir, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh\/Lhokseumawe<\/p>\n
Pressure on the press in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam has claimed
\nanother victim after the Indonesian Military (TNI) allegedly
\nforced a local biweekly tabloid to stop publishing in the war-
\ntorn province.<\/p>\n
Beudoh published its last edition late last month. It first
\nappeared in March, two months before Aceh was placed under
\nmartial law by the central government.<\/p>\n
Chief editor Maarif said the decision was made after military
\nofficials asked him to change the tabloid's editorial standpoint,
\nwhich they said opposed the military operation.<\/p>\n
He said he was summoned for interrogation last Friday by the
\nmartial law authorities in relation to several of the tabloid's
\nstories deemed to have offended them.<\/p>\n
Maarif, 25, said at least eight intelligence officers
\nquestioned him for 10 hours.<\/p>\n
\"Of course, to change the tabloid's standpoint is impossible
\nbecause it is against our policy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the military also asked the tabloid to make a public
\napology and sign a letter to declare that he had carried false
\nreports in the publication.<\/p>\n
\"The letter must also note that if someday I make similar
\nmistakes again, I have to be ready to stand trial,\" Maarif told
\nThe Jakarta Post on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Martial law authority spokesman Col. Ditya Soedarsono denied
\nthe military had banned the tabloid from publishing.<\/p>\n
\"We (the military and Maarif) just held talks to discuss a
\nstory in the tabloid's last edition,\" he claimed.<\/p>\n
Ditya was referring to the story entitled The Acehnese people
\ndo not need elections, which criticized the government's decision
\nin November to extend martial law and questioned the legitimacy
\nof next year's elections in Aceh under the emergency status.<\/p>\n
\"We consider that the story was provocative because it
\ncompiles opinions of people opposed to martial law,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He was apparently referring to Jakarta-based labor leader Dita
\nIndah Sari.<\/p>\n
Beudoh is staffed by five journalists aged in their 20s. All
\nare former activists at the state-run Syah Kuala University and
\nthe Ar-Raniri State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN).<\/p>\n
As of November, the tabloid had published only eight editions.<\/p>\n
Many have highlighted strong pressure on journalists who have
\nbeen covering the conflict in Aceh. They blamed both the military
\nand separatist rebels for failing to prevent constant
\nintimidation of the press for their respective political
\ninterests.<\/p>\n
The rebels are blamed for holding RCTI's reporter Ersa Siregar
\nand cameraman Ferry Santoro hostage since June 29. Their
\nwhereabouts remains unclear.<\/p>\n
Earlier, TVRI cameraman Jamaluddin was found dead in Aceh
\nafter he went missing several days earlier.<\/p>\n
In the latest development, the bodies of two Mobile Brigade
\n(Brimob) policemen who died in an accident on Wednesday while
\nescorting noted Muslim preacher Abdullah \"Aa Gym\" Gymnastiar
\nduring his visit to Aceh, were flown to their hometowns in Java.<\/p>\n
The dead were First Brig. Sukijan and Second Brig. Eko
\nSutikno. Seven other policemen injured in the accident are being
\ntreated at a local hospital.<\/p>\n
The fatal accident occurred when a speeding truck carrying
\ndozens of police personnel overturned on a slippery road in Pidie
\nregency.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aceh-tabloid-forced-to-close-1447893297",
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