Armed Forces optimistic about progress with media<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A military officer says the former dictum of a
\n"free and responsible press" has changed to "a press that is free
\nand democratic".<\/p>\n
Brig. Gen. Sudrajat said the shift suggested the media are no
\nlonger responsible to the government but have obligations to the
\npeople.<\/p>\n
While it was now often difficult to differentiate editorial
\npolicy and hard news, government liberalization within the media
\nwould eventually "attain a high degree of credibility in the eyes
\nof the readers", he said.<\/p>\n
The revoking of press licenses, leading to the closure of
\nmedia organizations, was justified in the past as the definition
\nof a free and responsible press had different associations then.<\/p>\n
Sudrajat was speaking on the last day of a two-day seminar
\nheld on the media and the government and was sitting in for Lt.
\nGen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief of
\nTerritorial Affairs.<\/p>\n
The event, opened on Tuesday by President B.J. Habibie, was
\norganized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
\nCultural Organization (UNESCO).<\/p>\n
Minister of Information Muhammad Yunus, a lieutenant general,
\nhas championed press freedom with the lifting of a rule enabling
\nthe revocation of media licenses.<\/p>\n
Formerly, the military was often cited by press members as a
\nkey censoring body.<\/p>\n
The secretary-general of the Association of Newspaper
\nPublishers, S. Leo Batubara, emphasized that the media had failed
\nin the past to act as a early warning system to those who abused
\npower. He urged the House of Representatives to pass a new media
\nlaw, drafted by the Indonesian press society, of which he is a
\nmember.<\/p>\n
The draft bill ensures media access to information including
\ngovernment sources.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Alliance of Independent Journalists, Lukas
\nLuwarso, recalled the irony of the appeal by certain members of
\nthe public, who, fearing press freedom "which has only been
\nexperienced for 10 months", demanded the government issue a
\nruling on the media.<\/p>\n
He said that with some 22 professional media bodies in
\nexistence, the associations should perform an internal watchdog
\nrole. He warned that if this function was neglected, in response
\nto "pure or engineered" complaints from the public, rules would
\nbe drafted to curb press freedom.<\/p>\n
Demonstrations have been staged protesting media
\norganizations, which speakers said indicated that the public has
\nyet to be receptive and tolerant of diverse opinions.<\/p>\n
A statement from the Minister of Information said the media
\nhas to reflect democratic values itself before it can motivate
\ndemocracy among the public.<\/p>\n
Lukas cited three conditions of media freedom and democracy:
\nfirst, public awareness that it was people who had sovereignty
\ninstead of the government; second, an opinion's truth was
\nrelative -- an understanding which would lead to tolerance of
\nother views; and third "a government which can restrain itself
\nagainst ruling over everything and one which is resilient enough
\nto receive criticism". (anr)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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