Press impartiality in Aceh<\/p>\n
The information disclosed by new media watchdog Aceh News
\nWatch on Wednesday that most national newspapers and television
\nstations had failed to practice the very basic media principles
\nof impartiality and coverage of both sides in a conflict in their
\nreportage of the war in Aceh surprises no one.<\/p>\n
According to the findings obtained by the NGO by monitoring
\nfive television stations and 13 major newspapers, the press
\nreportage of the Aceh war depends heavily on information supplied
\nby the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police (Polri). The
\ntelevision stations used the military version of incidents 108
\ntimes and those supplied by the police 46 times. In comparison,
\nthose stations quoted GAM only 16 times. As for the printed
\nmedia, the newspapers quoted military sources 33 times and police
\nsources nine times, while GAM sources were quoted only five
\ntimes.<\/p>\n
The question is whether this failure to abide by the
\nfundamental credo of the media is caused merely by technical
\ndifficulties in covering the government's enemy in the war, which
\nis the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), or because they had to meet
\nIndonesian Military (TNI) demands not to provide any access to
\nGAM for the sake of the Unitary State of Indonesia (NKRI).<\/p>\n
Apart from that there is also the fear that the media does
\ntruly share the TNI's stance that GAM should not be given a
\nchance to convey its version of the war, because the fate of the
\nunitary state is at stake. But who actually has the right to
\nclaim that the state is in fatal danger? Clearly, not the
\nmilitary or the government only, but the nation as a whole.<\/p>\n
It is not our intention to blame the television stations and
\nthe press for depending so heavily on the TNI because they are
\nfacing a very difficult situation, and that includes the
\nresponsibility to guarantee the safety of their reporters on the
\nbattlefield. Journalists who cover the war face the threats of
\nwarfare when they make contact with the rebels. The names of
\nmedia organizations and journalists who have faced the
\nconsequences of their defiance against the military, have also
\nbeen reported by the media. The rebels should be equally blamed
\nfor the chaos because even until this day, they are still holding
\nthe RCTI crew members hostage.<\/p>\n
Whatever the reasons for this partial coverage may be, biased
\nand one-sided reports on anything not only betrays one of the
\nmost fundamental principles of a free press society, it also
\ndeceives the public, which has the right to get accurate and fair
\ninformation.<\/p>\n
There is no guarantee that closing media access to the rebels
\nwill ensure the success of the military operation in Aceh to
\neradicate the rebellion and stamp out the roots of the insurgency
\nin that province. By giving a chance for the rebels to air their
\nversion of the war, the public will get more balanced information
\nabout the source of the war and the public can get closer to the
\ntruth behind the war in the Aceh.<\/p>\n
The military, for its part, can benefit from reports about
\nGAM. For instance, whenever claims arise that Indonesian soldiers
\nhave committed gross human rights abuses, the TNI can use this
\nGAM information to check out the allegation and, if accurate, to
\npunish those who are responsible for the crimes.<\/p>\n
We do agree, though, that the unity of the Republic of
\nIndonesia should be maintained. We also wholeheartedly concur
\nwith the view that armed rebellions must not be tolerated. We,
\nthe media, must also play a role in securing the unity of this
\nRepublic, but not a unity that is based on one version of the
\nconflict only.<\/p>\n
The U.S.-led war on Iraq, for example, could serve as an
\nexample. Many sections of the American media, such as CNN, were
\ntrapped in the nationalistic euphoria that prevailed in the U.S.
\nbefore the war and so, by using only their government's version
\nof the war, many Americans ignored their role as self-proclaimed
\nchampions of press freedom. Saddam Hussein must be toppled
\nbecause his weapons of mass destruction and his support for
\nterrorism was seen as an immediate threat to their country and
\nthe world. So many parties in the media had to lick what they had
\nspit out.<\/p>\n
We hope that we can learn from the American media's
\nexperience. They enthusiastically supported the war, only to
\nrealize that they had to pay dearly for their blundering choice.
\nWe believe that fairer coverage on Aceh will help the nation to
\nend the suffering of its people. The media itself is expected to
\nbe mature enough to make its judgment on Aceh. Talking about such
\nbitter facts on Aceh may upset us now, but for the sake of the
\nAcehnese, the true facts should be disclosed in order to find out
\nthe truth.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/press-impartiality-in-aceh-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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