AIDS - subject's the same but ...<\/p>\n
Warief Djajanto Basorie, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia, Riding the Paradox, Safe Sex and the Media in
\nSoutheast Asia<\/p>\n
Nurul Agustina and Irwan JuliantoAIDS Society of the Philippines,
\nJuly 2004<\/p>\n
88 pp<\/p>\n
The fact is that the condom is an effective means to prevent
\ninfection of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. But how has
\nIndonesia's media reported on condom use?<\/p>\n
A recent study focuses on how two Jakarta-based quality
\ndailies, one nonpartisan and the other Islamic, report sensitive
\nissues to their reading public in the world's largest nation with
\na Muslim majority population.<\/p>\n
Kompas (circulation 500,000), arguably Jakarta's premier
\nnewspaper, readily reports condom use as a way to promote safe
\nsex and minimize sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV
\ninfection. (p. 57)<\/p>\n
On the other hand, Republika (circulation 130,000), a paper
\nthat advances Islamic values and is linked to the Indonesian
\nMuslim Intellectuals Association (ICMI), is more circumspect if
\nnot conservative. It views the promotion of condom use as
\nsomething that \"violates the religious command to avoid adultery
\nbecause condoms tend to encourage people to engage in
\nextramarital sex.\" (p. 70)<\/p>\n
Indonesia: Riding the Paradox, published in July 2004 to
\ncoincide with the XV International AIDS Conference in Bangkok,
\nexplores how each newspaper reports on HIV\/AIDS and related
\ndelicate issues of sexuality and safe sex. These issues include
\ncondom use, rape and sexual assault, prostitution and sex
\nslavery, abortion, pedophilia and polygamy.<\/p>\n
The book is based on a six-month-long study on how sex and
\nsexuality were reported on in the two newspapers in 1997, 2000
\nand 2002. The first year was when Asia's monetary crisis shook
\nthe Indonesian economy. The second year represents the period
\nwhen Indonesia developed a freer press following Soeharto's
\nresignation in May 1998 after ruling for 32 years. The third year
\ndepicts the year when the country's economy began to improve.<\/p>\n
The study was undertaken by two journalists, Nurul Agustina of
\nRepublika and Irwan Julianto of Kompas. Despite their perceived
\nbias as the primary investigators, their findings provide an
\ninformative content analysis of how each paper deals with
\nHIV\/AIDS and related issues.<\/p>\n
Their content reflects their respective editorial tenets.
\nKompas asserts humanism and empathy toward the unfortunate and
\nthe marginalized whereas Republika emphasizes the upholding of
\nreligious norms. Their differing perspectives is illustrated by
\nthe issue of extramarital sex; Republika maintains it is
\n\"forbidden by God\" whereas Kompas underscores empathy toward
\nyoung girls and women forced into prostitution. (p. 15)<\/p>\n
The same subject gets very different treatment. For instance,
\nan interesting distinction is in the reporting in September 2002
\non the withdrawal, after protests from Islamic groups, from TV of
\na public service announcement (PSA) on the use of condoms for
\nsafe sex. The health ministry endorsed the PSA as part of the
\nnational movement to curb HIV infection.<\/p>\n
Republika rejected the TV ad; quoting experts, the paper said
\npromoting condoms instead of marital fidelity was the wrong way
\nto address the HIV problem. (p. 40)<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Kompas, as an advocate of condom use to prevent HIV
\ninfection, tried to neutralize the controversy by running a Sept.
\n13, 2002, story with the headline Government still supports the
\ncondom campaign. (p. 58)<\/p>\n
Inevitably, the PSA was modified: The message for safe sex
\nthrough condom use is no longer delivered through a tune by the
\nlate musician Harry Roesli. The PSA now features an authority
\nfigure, in the person of moderate Muslim scholar and medical
\ndoctor Tarmizi Taher, an advocate of interfaith relations and a
\nformer minister of religious affairs.<\/p>\n
In the message, Taher condemns zina (adultery) but favors use
\nof condoms for \"diehard\" men to reduce the chances of spreading
\nHIV to their wives and babies (p.59). The revised PSA has been
\naired as a late night spot on state-run TVRI with little if no
\nobjection.<\/p>\n
On the reporting of HIV\/AIDS per se, Republika avoids risk-
\nprone discussion on sexuality and safe sex. For the newspaper, it
\nseems safe sex could only mean sexual relations within a legally
\nsanctioned relationship. Its editors would prefer to discuss sex
\neducation rather than condom use in the sex trade or by being
\nvery critical of pornography. (p. 78)<\/p>\n
Riding the Paradox is one title in a seven-book series
\nreviewing the content and quality of Southeast Asian media
\ncoverage on sexuality and safe sex. The series, published by the
\nAIDS Society of the Philippines, cover a regional analysis and
\nsix country monographs; the others are Cambodia, Laos, the
\nPhilippines, Thailand and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
The monograph on Indonesia ends with a recommendation for the
\nholding of capability building forums to explore effective
\napproaches for society to deal with sex issues and HIV\/AIDS. As
\nthe book is addressed to both public stakeholders and the press,
\nthe authors could have cross-interviewed the relevant editors of
\nRepublika and Kompas to comment, if not confirm, the findings of
\nthe research.<\/p>\n
Irwan could have interviewed Republika editors and Nurul
\ntalked with editors at Kompas on their considerations in covering
\nAIDS. Such feedback section could help reporters and writers with
\nan added perspective and tool on how to cover the AIDS story
\naccurately, rationally and with more sensitivity.<\/p>\n
The reviewer teaches journalism at the Dr. Soetomo Press
\nInstitute in Jakarta. He managed a recently concluded one-year
\nworkshop on AIDS reporting and can be reached at
\nwariefdj@hotmail.com.<\/p>",
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