Media slammed for sidelining in Aceh issue<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Lhokseumawe\/Medan<\/p>\n
Indonesian media have failed to help resolve the Aceh conflict,
\nas their coverage of the impact of martial law in the war-torn
\nprovince has been inconsistent, a watchdog says.<\/p>\n
The Information Flow Study Institute (ISAI) said the media
\nhere has no clear agenda on the Aceh issue, let alone helping to
\nfind a settlement to the war.<\/p>\n
Data from ISAI revealed that the media flooded their columns
\nand air time with news about Aceh during the early days when Aceh
\nwas placed under martial law in May 2003.<\/p>\n
However, during the final days of the first six months of the
\nmilitary operation, there were only a few news items about the
\nissue, said Agus Sudibyo, who heads ISAI's evaluation team, on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
He criticized the media for easily ignoring Aceh and instead
\nfocusing on other issues considered to be more interesting.<\/p>\n
"The media has the right to say that it must present something
\nits readers or viewers want, but there is no reason for the media
\nnot to keep questioning the implementation of martial law in
\nAceh," he said.<\/p>\n
The media, he said, had apparently left the public with the
\nimpression that war was the only realistic option to resolve the
\nAceh conflict.<\/p>\n
"There is no room left to question the policy and its negative
\nimpact," Agus said, pointing out that most publications only
\nquoted military officials in their reports on Aceh.<\/p>\n
Agus was announcing the results of his team's quantitative
\nanalysis on 10 national publications -- Kompas, Republika, Media
\nIndonesia, Pos Kota, Koran Tempo, Rakyat Merdeka, Indo Pos, Warta
\nKota, Harian Terbit and Suara Pembaruan -- and five television
\nstations, Metro TV, SCTV, ANTV, TV7 and RCTI.<\/p>\n
The team monitored news on Aceh from the media in three
\nphases: prior to martial law from May 1 to May 19, the initial
\nphase of operations from June 1 to June 19, and the final days of
\nthe first six-month operation, from Oct. 1 to Oct. 19.<\/p>\n
Military analyst J. Kristiadi said that many issues could have
\nbeen raised following the military operations.<\/p>\n
"The issues are ongoing. For example, the media could ask
\nabout the cost of the operations and budgeting transparency or
\nthe effectiveness of the government's decision to engage in war,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the newly trained Raider Unit, a combat unit under
\nthe authority of the Indonesian Military (TNI), will be installed
\nin Aceh early January next year, Brig. Gen. Safzen Nurdin, the
\ndeputy commander of the Aceh Military Operation Command (Koops),
\nsays.<\/p>\n
The one-star general said that the combat unit was tasked to
\nhunt down Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels and safeguard security
\nin the area, prior to and after next year's general election.<\/p>\n
The unit will join the existing 45,000 security personnel in
\nthe troubled province, who have been stationed there since the
\ngovernment launched a full-scale military offensive to crush the
\nseparatist movement in May this year.<\/p>\n
The Raider Unit comprises of 10 battalions of raider combat
\ntroops, consisting of 8,000 personnel. They have undergone
\ntraining since several months ago in various parts of Indonesia
\nand are now ready to be deployed.<\/p>\n
At least 14 people, including a military marine, have been
\nkilled in Indonesia's restive province of Aceh since Tuesday, the
\narmed forces said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Six rebels and one marine were killed during a clash in the
\nmarshy area of Bireuen district on Wednesday, Aceh military
\nspokesman Lt. Col. Ahmad Yani Basuki said, quoted as saying by
\nAFP.<\/p>",
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