Press protesters vent anger at their association<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Around 100 protesting journalists and activists
\nyesterday vented their anger at the Association of Indonesian
\nJournalists (PWI) for its failure to represent the displaced
\nreporters and employees of Tempo, DeTIK and Editor news
\nmagazines.<\/p>\n
The protesters, mostly journalists from other publications,
\nturned up at PWI's headquarters in the Press Council building
\ndemanding that the association make good on its promise to
\ndiscuss the closure of the three magazines with the government.<\/p>\n
They reminded the organization that PWI Secretary General
\nParni Hadi, during a meeting on July 5, had promised to convey
\nthe journalists' demands to Minister of Information Harmoko.<\/p>\n
Parni, who is the chief editor of the Republika daily
\nnewspaper, was not in the building yesterday, but PWI chairman
\nSofyan Lubis was there to answer the protesters' queries.<\/p>\n
Sofyan, who is also chief editor of Pos Kota daily newspaper,
\nagreed to meet with eight representatives of the protesters.<\/p>\n
He told them that PWI had not been able to see Harmoko to
\ndiscuss their demands, Meirizal Zulkarnain, the spokesman of the
\ndelegation, said after the meeting.<\/p>\n
Sofyan also stressed to the delegation that PWI is very
\nconcerned with the return of the three news magazines.<\/p>\n
Tempo lost its publishing license because it repeatedly
\nignored government warnings about its editorial content. DeTIK
\nand Editor lost theirs because they violated the terms of their
\nlicenses.<\/p>\n
All three are unlikely to regain their licenses but talks are
\nunderway between the former employees and prospective investors
\nto explore the likelihood of obtaining new licenses.<\/p>\n
Meirizal said he also discussed the need to change the way the
\npress industry is regulated in order to avoid a repetition of
\nsuch bans with Sofyan. The PWI responded that such changes needed
\n\"process\", Meirizal reported.<\/p>\n
The journalists, most wearing black attire as an expression of
\ncondolence over the demise of the three magazines, were not
\ncontent with the response of the PWI to their demands.<\/p>\n
\"Dissolve PWI\", \"Burn PWI membership cards,\" they shouted.<\/p>\n
The demonstrators had apparently anticipated the response.
\nImmediately after the meeting with Sofyan, they unfurled a banner
\nsuggesting that PWI is a tool of the government.<\/p>\n
They also announced their intention of forming a new
\norganization to represent journalists.<\/p>\n
Solidarity<\/p>\n
A number of activists joined in the protest as an expression
\nof solidarity.<\/p>\n
One of them was Muchtar Pakpahan, chairman of the SBSI union,
\nwho offered journalists the opportunity to join his organization.
\nHe promised them that the union will fight on their behalf.<\/p>\n
What started as a peaceful action threatened to turn violent
\nat one point when one of the protesters kicked a car that was
\ncarrying Jakob Oetama, chief editor of Kompas daily, as it was
\nleaving the Press Council area.<\/p>\n
Other protesters quickly restrained him, reminding him to
\ncontain his emotion and appealing to all protesters to maintain
\npeace and order.<\/p>\n
Although the demonstration proceeded peacefully under the
\nvigilant eyes of police at the PWI office, there were reports
\nthat some of the protesters were harassed after they dispersed.<\/p>\n
The incident apparently occurred a few meters away, near the
\nSarinah Building on Jl. Thamrin.<\/p>\n
Police confirmed that they detained two protesters but both
\nwere released last night.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) has already sent a
\nletter of protest to the Armed Forces over that encounter.
\n(als\/anr\/jsk)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/press-protesters-vent-anger-at-their-association-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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