Observers condemn action of Banser<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Media organizations and observers condemned on
\nSunday the exaggerated action of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) civilian
\nguards in Surabaya, who rallied at and occupied the Jawa Pos
\ndaily's offices for reporting alleged corruption practices by
\nexecutives of the country's largest Muslim organization.<\/p>\n
The occupation caused the daily to forego its Sunday edition,
\nresulting in a total loss of Rp 1 billion, its managing editor,
\nArief Affandi, said.<\/p>\n
The civilian guards, popularly called Banser, were annoyed by
\na special report entitled \"PKB feels the heat, NU sets up a
\nclarification team\" in the Saturday edition of one of the
\ncountry's leading dailies.<\/p>\n
In the report, the newspaper told of rumors about an alleged
\ntransfer of Rp 35 billion (US$4.37 million) in funds from the
\nState Logistics Agency (Bulog) to a non-governmental organization
\n(NGO) linked to Hasyim Wahid, the brother of President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid, a former NU chairman and founder of the
\nNational Awakening Party (PKB).<\/p>\n
Quoting Tempo magazine, the daily mistakenly named NU chairman
\nHasyim Muzadi. The paper reported that State Minister of
\nInvestment and State Enterprises Development Rozy Munir, who is
\nalso an NU executive, received bribes amounting to Rp 10 billion
\nfrom state company officials and a Volvo sedan.<\/p>\n
In his capacity as chairman of Bulog, deputy chief of Bulog
\nSapuan, who later in February ordered the agency to make the fund
\ntransfer, confirmed the deal but asserted that the transaction
\nwas a loan fully secured by property.<\/p>\n
He declined to disclose name of the borrower but reasserted
\nthat the fund was transferred as a loan and the deal had nothing
\nto do with his ambition to be appointed Bulog chief.<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman, or Gus Dur as he is also known,
\ncategorically denied the report on Saturday.<\/p>\n
After a meeting with Banser executives on Sunday evening, the
\ndaily's management agreed to apologize by running a front-page
\nnotice for a week and a story to rectify the controversial
\nreport.<\/p>\n
Arief said Jawa Pos would also meet the protesters' demand to
\nbuild a mosque, but not for Rp 35 billion as previously demanded.<\/p>\n
The Independent Journalist Alliance (AJI), Media Consumer
\nInstitute (LKM), Surabaya Legal Aid Institute (LBH) and Surabaya
\nWomen's Advocacy Forum condemned the use of force by Banser
\nactivists.<\/p>\n
\"We demand that NU executives apologize to the public and
\nmedia consumers for demonstrating a culture of violence,\" the
\nfour organizations said in a joint statement on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\"The move is a crime against humanity, especially the freedom
\nof the press and public's right to access of information ,\" the
\nstatement said, as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
It such conduct would encourage militarism and halt the
\ndemocratization process.<\/p>\n
The organizations called all parties, including sources, media
\norganizations and consumers, who are affected by the media
\nreports, to proportionally respond through legal means and the
\nright to reply, which are common in journalism.<\/p>\n
Arief regretted the incident, which he said could serve as a
\nprecedent for further uses of mob threats to press freedom.<\/p>\n
\"We decided not to publish the Sunday edition since we
\ntechnically and psychologically could not work that night,\" Arief
\ntold The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He said dozens of Banser members had occupied the daily's
\noffice since Saturday afternoon, switching off the reporters'
\ncomputers and disconnecting telephone lines.<\/p>\n
He said that up to midnight on Saturday, the daily's editorial
\nteam was only able to complete six of the planned 24 pages for
\nthe Sunday edition.<\/p>\n
According to Arief, the daily's reports over NU were so far
\ncomplied with the principles of impartiality and coverage of both
\nsides.<\/p>\n
Communications professor Andi Muis regretted the decision of
\nJawa Pos to succumb to the protesters' demands.<\/p>\n
\"It's too much. It could be a bad precedent, where is the
\npride of the daily?,\" Muis told the Post on Sunday.<\/p>\n
He called on media and related organizations to set up a joint
\nsolidarity reaction for the daily.<\/p>\n
He condemned Banser for violating human rights, saying that
\nthe move could threaten the profession of journalism.<\/p>\n
\"It's like under the New Order regime. It's like a ban,\" Muis
\nfrom the Makassar-based Hasanuddin University said, referring to
\nthe administration of former president Soeharto.<\/p>\n
He said that while under Soeharto, the ban was imposed by the
\nstate, this time around it is forced by mass organizations.<\/p>\n
Muis called on the public who suffered damages inflicted by
\nthe media to take legal action.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, NU's East Java chapter chairman Ali Maschan Musa
\nregretted the civilian guards' move although he said he could
\nunderstand the protesters' feelings.<\/p>\n
\"The move was lamentable. But it could be understood,\" Ali
\nsaid on Sunday.<\/p>\n
He claimed NU's chairman Hasyim Muzadi only asked the daily to
\napologize, saying that Tempo had also apologized for it's similar
\nreport.<\/p>\n
East Java is a stronghold of NU.<\/p>\n
In Makassar, South Sulawesi, AJI's local chapter and the
\nJournalists Joint Forum (Forbes) also condemned Banser on Sunday
\nfor using the manner of hoodlums to pressure the daily.<\/p>\n
\"AJI's view is that NU followers are undemocratic. They should
\ntake legal action if they thought the newspaper slandered them,\"
\nAJI's Nasru Alam Aziz said.<\/p>\n
\"Gus Dur should be responsible for the shameful incident,\"
\nForbes' spokesman Ma'ruf Ibrahim added. (27\/nur\/jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/observers-condemn-action-of-banser-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}